INDIVIDUAL success brings pressure, but that’s not fazing Tyla Hanks.
The 21-year-old, who earned herself both the NAB AFLW Rising Star Award and a share of Melbourne’s Best and Fairest last season, is planning to start afresh in 2022.
With a refined mindset, Hanks hopes to put her achievements to date aside, with a focus on simply doing what she does best.
“I think there is a little bit of pressure. I think there is for everyone in a sense,” she told Melbourne Media.
“I’ve spoken to Mick (Stinear) about it and last year was a great year, but I sort of want to leave it at that.
“This year is a new opportunity. It’s not trying to replicate anything that I did last year. It’s just focusing on my role and going out and doing that.
“It’s finding ways to keep creating scoring opportunities and being damaging in that inside mid role that I play.
“I think if I measure it again my role and how I fulfilled that last year, that’s all I can sort of go off, not the accolades that came with it.”
Season 2021 saw the star midfielder average 19 disposals and five tackles a game, marking her influence on both the Demons and the competition.
It was her composure and efficiency that stood tall above the rest, as she thrived with more opportunity and minutes in the middle.
Sharing the club’s highest honour alongside teammate Karen Paxman topped off an incredible season – one that Hanks knows she will look back on with pride.
“Winning the Rising Star and Best and Fairest with Paxy (Paxman) is sort of something that I’m still shocked that I can say I did,” she said.
“I’ve had time to reflect, and I think it’s something I will be really proud of, but I think I was really lucky to win it with Paxy.
“I just really admire her and respect her for everything she does, so it was almost better to win it with her than on my own in a way.
“I’ve trained with her in the off-season. She’s an elite runner, as everyone knows, so I used to meet her at The Tan at 6am and chase her, and I didn’t see her as soon as the first two minutes were gone.
“She’s always sort of been there as a sounding board, and someone who’s really competitive at training. Even just playing on her teaches you a lot as well.”
While she’s likely picked up a few tips from Paxman, who is one of only two players to achieve All Australian honours across every season, Hanks has found her own way of going about it.
The former No.6 draft pick has developed in skills, stamina and confidence since joining Melbourne in 2018, and hopes to build on that in her fourth season as a Demon.
“I think I’m a lot more reliable to my teammates,” Hanks said.
“Coming in, everyone wanted the ball in my hands and were constantly telling me to take the game on and be confident in myself, but it took a long time to get there and it’s still something I’m working on.
“Alongside that, I’m just trying to be a leader in this group and now that I’m in that leadership team, owning that responsibility.
“It’s not just learning from the others but starting to learn my leadership role and how to have an impact on the other girls as well.”
Hanks and her teammates will return to training on December 27, in preparation for the Melbourne’s 2022 AFLW campaign, which kicks off on January 8.
