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FOUR-TIME premiership midfielder Sam Mitchell says James Frawley overcame a tough start as a Hawthorn defender to play an "outstanding" and vital role in blanketing Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy in the Hawks' Grand Final win. 

Frawley's performance against Kennedy, who entered the game with 80 goals to his name after a commanding All-Australian season, was pivotal in the Hawks' three-peat win.

It came three weeks after the former Demon turned in a shocker against the Eagles in the Hawks' losing qualifying final when he was punted into the forward line for the first half.

Mitchell said what Frawley was able to do against Kennedy was vitally important to the Hawks securing their third flag in as many seasons.

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"He found it tough early on to figure out the way we play and it's quite a complicated game plan," Mitchell said.

"It took him a while to get used to it, but he's been an outstanding acquisition and well done to the list managers and all those guys who got him over.

"His ability to get it done on the big stage was outstanding tonight."

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Frawley, 27, made what he described as a difficult decision to move to Hawthorn from Melbourne just over 12 months ago.

He used free agency to get there, and while playing alongside premiership backs like Josh Gibson, Brian Lake, Ben Stratton and Shaun Burgoyne was an attractive option, leaving his Demons' teammates was a challenge.

"It was really tough. I've got close friends there and I still do, and I see most of them every week," Frawley said, after winning his maiden premiership medallion in the Hawks' 46-point win over West Coast on Saturday.

"It was a really tough decision but right now it's all paid off, so happy days."

It certainly has worked out for the backman, who said he would have been "pretty happy" if he woke up on Saturday morning and knew he would keep the Coleman medallist goalless.

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He didn't do anything special to try and prepare for Kennedy, who he knew would run hard and make life uncomfortable in the 31-degree heat.

Instead, he kept his lead-up as close as he could to that of a regular home-and-away game, and went in with the mentality of just wanting to play his role rather than analysing the challenge of halting Kennedy, who kicked at least one goal in every game this year.  

It worked. Frawley beat Kennedy – who suffered at the hands of poor delivery inside 50 - in most of their one-on-one contests, with the Eagle most prolific inside the dead-time last quarter when the game was already won.

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That could have been because his opponent suddenly realised he was about to play in a premiership, and took some time to appreciate it as the clock wound down.

"I wasn't paying attention much, I was looking around at the crowd and trying to soak it up," Frawley said.

"One of the boys pulled me back into line and told me, 'What are you doing mate, switch on here'.

"I lost a bit of focus there but it was an unreal feeling."

Frawley felt like he had an OK first season in the Hawks' backline, and "one shit game" playing forward against the Eagles, which he accepted he should have "copped some heat for".  

He didn't know what he was going to feel when the final second ticked over and his team was in front, or how intense the emotions that flooded over him were going to be.

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But as he stood in the rooms on Saturday night with a beer in hand and a premiership medallion around his neck, he knew all of the heartache he suffered in leaving his former teammates had been worth it.

"When the siren went I just wanted to enjoy it with my teammates out there. We've been working hard all year, it's been a long season," he said.

"Now I'll enjoy it with my family and friends.

"You play footy to play finals and win premierships so it's a big tick there."

James Frawley proudly displays his first premiership medallion. Picture: AFL Media