ST KILDA leader and key defender Bianca Jakobsson was really pleased with her side’s performance yesterday in their win over Hawthorn.

“It was a solid win” she said. “I thought we put in a really good four quarter performance with some ebbs and flows, but I felt that we were really organised and set up behind the footy because we know Hawthorn like to get out the back and beat us out the back with their speed, so the ability just to problem solve from us on the fly, I thought it was really good and I was really pleased with the communication from us.”

After a good start from the Saints, things evened out a little in the second quarter, but Jakobsson said that is what they expected from the Hawks.

“We did get off to a really good start, and we knew that second quarter Hawthorn were going to come out and they were going to bring the pressure. We know that they’re a pressure side, so we expected that. We knew that we weren’t going to have it on our terms for the whole day, that’s footy, there’s always momentum swings, so we were prepared for that, and I thought we weathered the storm pretty well.”

She was also full of praise for team mate Clara Fitzpatrick and her impact on the side, who is back in the team this year after not being able to play for a few years.

“I couldn’t speak highly enough of her. She’s incredible, she’s such a laugh around the club, she’s great culturally and even on the field just as well as off the field as well. She’s just a tall, absolute unit back there and she really helps us reference off our players and intercepts really well and just makes us a better team.”

Jakobsson has noticed a few difference this season with AFLW now in a more traditional slot of the end of winter and into spring.

“There was some few cold winter nights leading into preseason and I was like ‘I’m getting a bit old here, the hands are a bit cold going out’ but you get out, you warm up, you adjust to the conditions. I feel like our skills are probably gotten better off the back of it because we’ve had to train in some pretty slippery and wet nights, so I think the skills have improved, and the ability to run out games and run a bit better in the colder weather, which can be quite difficult at times, so I think the game has a bit more pace on it with it being in winter.”

Next week sees Jakobsson’s current team St Kilda face her old side in Melbourne.

“I’m expecting a fierce contest. They’re a great contested side and they really like to play forward half footy, so I’ll expect no different. I love coming up against the Dees, I loved my time there, there’s some really great people there and I’m really looking forwarded to just getting back home, back at RSEA Park with the new redevelopment there with the Danny Frawley Centre, it’s great to get fans down and get everybody around the Saints, so I’m really looking forward to playing the Dees. I always do every year, it’s always a great match against them.”