Fresh off Hawthorn's thrilling 19-point elimination final victory over the GWS Giants, forward Connor Macdonald joined the Talking Hawks podcast to discuss the team's breakthrough performance and look ahead to their upcoming semi-final clash with Adelaide.
The victory at Giants Stadium carried special significance for the Hawks, who had never won at the venue in eight previous attempts.
Relive the win (minus the heart attack) with all the highlights 🍿 pic.twitter.com/IOJV7yjVO0
— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) September 7, 2025
"Yeah, it was awesome. Good to get the win over at Engie," Macdonald said.
"Obviously, we hadn't won there before.
"It was pretty magical to get the win."
The triumph marked an important milestone for Hawthorn, who had struggled against top-eight opponents throughout the season, particularly in interstate matches.
"I think we've played some really consistent footy throughout the year," Macdonald explained.
"We've been very close in the late stages of games, especially interstate, and we haven't been quite able to get the win.
"We took a lot of learnings out of the losses, and we were able to get the win."
The match unfolded as a tale of two halves, with Hawthorn surging to a commanding 42-point lead early in the third quarter before GWS mounted a fierce comeback that threatened to derail the Hawks' finals campaign.
"We embraced that we needed to improve and we need to win on the road" - Hear from Head Coach Sam Mitchell after our Elimination Final win ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/XTKLIrBdBA
— Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) September 7, 2025
Macdonald praised his teammates' composure during the crucial three-quarter-time break, when momentum had shifted heavily in favour of the home side.
"I think it actually probably came at a really good time because they were on such a big momentum high.
"They really got that Orange Tsunami going," he said.
"We were really good at regrouping, getting together, and just sticking to our focuses.
"We just spoke about when the time comes and the ball comes down, let's just take our moment."
The Hawks demonstrated real maturity in the final quarter, steadying under pressure to secure the victory.
"The boys showed real maturity, especially getting tested in that third quarter," Macdonald noted.
"To come out in the last and hold them off and put a few on board was pretty cool."
Several teammates played crucial roles in steadying the ship when the pressure mounted.
Key contributions from Mabior Chol and Josh Weddle helped win crucial moments in the forward half, while Sam Butler's crucial tackle and subsequent goal became a defining moment that shifted momentum back to the Hawks.
Macdonald, who was drafted alongside Butler in the 2021 AFL National Draft, was particularly pleased to see his teammate rewarded after battling injury struggles that saw him miss significant portions of the past two seasons due to complications from a broken leg.
"Oh, it's bloody unreal. He's one of my best mates at the club," Macdonald said.
"We've been through everything together since the start. Obviously, he's had some really testing last few years with injuries.
"He's honestly one of the most hardworking blokes at the club.
"So I love seeing him get that reward."
Macdonald also highlighted the impact of Josh Weddle's return, who was recalled for his first AFL game since suffering a stress fracture in his back after the Round 17 clash against North Melbourne. Weddle shapes as a potential X-factor for the Hawks' continued finals campaign.
"He's the energiser bunny of the group. He's always pretty loud and up and about," Macdonald said.
"So we love getting him back. He's a crucial part of our team."
Personally, Macdonald was satisfied with his own contribution, kicking three goals and recording seven score involvements from 17 touches as a key part of the Hawks' early dominance.
"I was very pleased with it.
"When you try to pass one off to Calsh (Calsher Dear) and it ends up going through, well, you sort of think, oh, I could be on for a good day here," Macdonald said.
"I was just able to get myself in good spots and be really damaging in those scoring chains and on the scoreboard as well."
Looking ahead to Friday night's semi-final against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, Macdonald acknowledged the eerie similarities to last year's finals campaign. In the corresponding fixture, Hawthorn travelled as underdogs to Adelaide, where they fell agonisingly short in a semi-final loss to Port Adelaide by three points, ending their fairytale 2024 run.
"It's pretty funny how it's aligned. We're heading back to Adelaide Oval for another semi-final," Macdonald observed.
"It does feel a little bit like déjà vu, but obviously, we're playing a different team.
"We've obviously grown a lot.
"We've recruited over the off-season and we've put together a really solid season."
The Hawks have recent experience against Adelaide to draw upon, having faced them less than two months ago in another thriller at Adelaide Oval.
In that encounter, Hawthorn led at three-quarter time but ultimately fell short in the final quarter, unable to capitalise on their chances in what was considered one of the games of the year.
"Yeah, it'll be a really big challenge as we've just played them recently, but it's pretty fresh," Macdonald said.
"We've still got our learnings from that game.
"I think we match up really well against them, but I'm sure the coaches will assess it in the best way they can and make sure they give all the players the best clarity on how to win the game."
The hostile Adelaide crowd will present another challenge, but Macdonald believes the team is well-prepared for such atmospheres.
The growth of the "Hokball movement" and increased fan engagement have provided valuable experience in high-pressure environments.
"I think we're getting more and more used to it now.
"We've played in some pretty hostile environments over the last two years," he said.
"The growth of the Hokball movement and just the pure fan engagement has been massive for us.
"So we've played in a lot of big games, a lot of close games. I think we're just really excited for another big challenge."
The team's resilience throughout the season has been tested by numerous injuries to key players, but Macdonald credits the squad's depth for their continued success.
Box Hill's strong VFL campaign has ensured ready replacements when needed.
"It's a great question, but I think it ultimately goes back to our depth," Macdonald explained.
"Box Hill has had a great year, some guys putting up some massive numbers the whole year and really consistent numbers as well.
"We just talked about the next man up mentality.
"A lot of guys have gone in and out of the side due to injuries, missed crucial games, but our depth just shows that we've got people ready.
"And like Sam says, just always be ready for your opportunity because you never know when it can come."
With the Hawks now just two wins away from a grand final appearance, Macdonald and his teammates are focused on maintaining the momentum from their breakthrough elimination final victory as they prepare for another crucial test at Adelaide Oval.
To listen to the full interview with Connor Macdonald, click here.
