Forward Ari Hetherington was full of praise for teammate and partner in crime, Mim Strom, who has had a stand-out start to her 2024 NAB AFLW Season.

Strom ended Fremantle's nine-point loss to the Hawks with 38 hit-outs to her name, along with seven tackles and six clearances, at times acting as a sixth midfielder for her side.

“She’s just sensational,” Hetherington said on Strom.

“Mim, just day in day out, week in week out, she will battle.

“She just hustled for a whole half, I don’t think she took a break – and that’s just Mim.

Hetherington credited some learnings to both Mim and her brother Zac, who is also Fremantle’s ruck coach.

“Her and her brother (Zac) are so patient, and (they are) so willing to teach and share everything they know,” Hetherington said.

“I’ve been coming to her since day one with any question, and she’s so willing to chat with me.

“Even after the game, we’ll sit with each other and debrief, so I rely very heavily on Mim.”

With five points the difference and four minutes of play left in the final quarter, Hetherington touched on what the messaging from the team huddle was at three-quarter time to try and flip the script.

“Before the game we had a nice little surprise from Kiara Bowers showing up, so at three quarter time we anchored back to 'what would Turbo do', you know grit, we’ve got to do that, show that and throw ourselves into that,” Hetherington said.

“When it goes into our forward 50, we’ve really got to utilise that and keep it there. We’ve got to work as a team to keep it down there.”

In the absence of co-vice-captain Áine Tighe, Hetherington has been looking at a new role, and working on building her craft as a key forward.

“Ever since Aine, my mentor, has been out (with injury), I’m leaning heavily on her to try and coach me and mentor me,” Hetherington said.

“(I’m focussing on) just being really talkative at the back there and getting our comms up around that so we’re a really strong forward unit.”

Hetherington amassed 14 disposals, three inside 50s and four tackles for the match.

Fremantle will have a six-day break until they face Carlton at Fremantle Oval on Saturday 12 October at 4.15pm WST.

“We can finally have a proper review of our game. It’s been a very quick turnover from our last two games,” Hetherington said.

“Recovery is probably number one (focus), but (we will) reset, learn, anchor back, and go again.”