Hawthorn AFLW defender Najwa Allen takes inspiration from Palestinian mum

After one of Najwa Allen's first AFLW games for Adelaide back in 2020, her mum texted her.

"Hi sweetie. What's a disposal and why is it so important?" she wrote.

While Allen, now 31 and a premiership defender, grew up with soccer being her whole life — eventually finding footy in her early 20s — her mother, Fadwa Al-Yaman, used to feign a year-long period to get out of PE at school.

Yet despite Allen's job being a professional athlete, she finds a lot of similarities in how they approach their work.

Najwa Allen became a premiership player in 2022 with the Adelaide Crows. (Supplied: Najwa Allen)

Allen's mum is Palestinian and works in Indigenous health and welfare.

"She's so academic, top of her class, studied in Jordan, then did her PhD at ANU [Australian National University]," Allen said.

"She's such a hard worker, she's so driven. She'll work all hours, all the weekend, she'll work so hard for this one thing because she believes in it and it's important to her."

Allen has the same tenacious approach to her footy, saying "the only way" she can make the grade is by doing extra work behind the scenes.

They also have a shared identity, and watching what has been happening in Gaza has been emotionally taxing on them both.

Najwa Allen and her mum. (Supplied: Najwa Allen.)

"It's really hard to see that and know that you're connected to these people … I realised that I never felt closer to that part of myself than when I've seen what's happening, because when I see what's happening, I'm like, 'These are my people,'" Allen said.

"When I talk to my mum, she's just distraught. And that's been the story of her life. Leaving Palestine and not being able to go back … I think that's why she got into this Indigenous work, because of the similarity of land taken away.

"So, it's been very, very tough but then she just throws herself further into her work."

But working for something more than yourself is key to the Allen's approach.

"When there's meaning behind what you do, when there's importance to you, and importance in your work, you're so driven by it," she said.

Allen played 45 games for Adelaide, the most successful club in AFLW history, but after an injury-interrupted 2024 season, Allen said she knew her future at the Crows was not certain.

"I think the Crows were looking at me, and they weren't really sure anymore," she said.

"And that's so fair on them. I'd be looking at a 30-year-old who is injured for the entirety of the season with hamstring injuries, came back for one game, didn't have too much of an impact, and going, 'Yeah, maybe we need to start looking at something younger, something a bit faster, a newer model.'"

Najwa Allen struggled during the 2024 season with hamstring issues. (Getty: Michael Willson/AFL Photos)

But understanding it didn't necessarily make it easier.

"And when you're sitting in that environment where you're like, 'Well, I know what I can do, and I believe in myself' … It was really hard. Then they [said to me] 'We're not 100 per cent going one way or another but we're not sure. And it was like, 'OK, let's have a look elsewhere.'"

That search led her to Hawthorn and Carlton, who were both interested in adding her experience to their young lists, with the Hawks eventually winning out.

"I'm a deeply, deeply competitive person, and to my core, [is a desire] to try and win," Allen said.

"Listening to Webby [Hawks coach Daniel Webster] speak, seeing how passionate he is, how much he cares; that's what I want in a coach. I want somebody who cares about this as much as I do."

Having been at the star-studded Crows, Allen also mulled over what she could bring to a new team.

Hawthorn upset reigning grand finalists Brisbane in round one of the 2025 season. (Getty: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos)

Hawthorn entered the competition as one of the last expansion teams in 2022 and rose last season to finish second on the ladder. But, in their first finals campaign, they went out in straight sets after losing to Brisbane and Port Adelaide.

"I spoke to him [Webster] about the disappointment of those two games, that they lost those two finals, and you could see how much that affected him, how much he cared [and impacted] his plan going forward," Allen said.

"Having been in those situations before, like, it really sucks that you lost those finals last year but the experience of having been in that position is invaluable.

"My first grand final, I felt sick for about two-and-a-half, three-quarters of that game, and we lost, and I was devastated. Then we got there next year, I was so calm.

"Having been here before and knowing what to expect … Having that experience of 'I know what this is, I know how this feels.'"

Najwa Allen moved over to Hawthorn for 2025 after becoming a premiership player with Adelaide. (Supplied: Najwa Allen.)

Part of Hawthorn's recent recruiting strategy has been to add premiership experience, including two premiership Lions — former league best and fairest Emily Bates and Greta Bodey — and premiership Demon Eliza West.

"The second meeting I had [with Hawthorn] was with Batesy and Westy and I could go to them [and say] 'You understand where I'm coming from', which is leaving a very successful football club for this unknown," Allen said.

"We sat down and had this conversation and they were like, 'This thing we're creating is really good and we want you to be a part of it.'"

Hawthorn next plays Carlton at Frankston Oval in its first home game for the season.

The Hawks are coming off a round one victory over last year's grand finalists, Brisbane, while the Blues defeated Collingwood in the opener.

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