AFLW Inaugural Team

The West Coast Eagles AFLW team made their debut against Collingwood at Victoria Park, Melbourne in Round 1 of the 2020 AFLW Season.

Backs Belinda Smith (14) Talia Radan (26)      
Half-Backs McKenzie Dowrick (5) Sophie McDonald (35) Ashton Hill (16)    
Centres Mikayla Bowen (1) Imahra Cameron (19) Niamh Kelly (12)    
Half-Forwards Kellie Gibson (2) Ashlee Atkins (9) Maddy Collier (8)    
Forwards Grace Kelly (15) Tarnee Tester (23)      
Followers Parris Laurie (25) Dana Hooker (17) Emma Swanson (13)    
Interchange Courtney Guard (4) Beatrice Devlyn (7) Danika Pisconeri (11) Hayley Bullas (24) Chantelle Perera (27)
Coach Luke Dwyer        

 

The Eagles pose for a team photo before their first match during the 2020 AFLW Round 01 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the West Coast Eagles at Victoria Park on February 9, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.

Match Report

It wasn’t the fairytale AFLW debut that West Coast fans were hoping for, but the Eagles were gallant in defeat against an experienced Collingwood outfit at Victoria Park today.

West Coast was strong from the outset, dominating the play for much of the opening quarter at the Magpies’ traditional home ground.

But the match-hardened Pies seized control of the contest in the second term and never looked back, running away to a 27-point win in front of a vocal crowd of 6100.

The Eagles’ 10 AFLW debutants were hardly overawed by the occasion as they ripped in against their more experienced opponents following the opening bounce.

Collingwood tried to weather West Coast’s first quarter storm, but the dam wall finally broke and Dana Hooker capitalised, swooping on a loose ball and snapping truly to kick the club’s first official AFLW goal.

00:38

Hooker makes history

Eagles midfielder Dana Hooker boots the first ever goal for the West Coast Eagles AFLW team against the Pies

At the sound of the first siren, the Eagles had recorded nine unanswered inside 50s.

Unfortunately they only had one goal to show for their hard work and in many ways it was the difference at game's end.

When they changed ends it was Collingwood's turn to run riot and after successive behinds from Jordy Allen the home side finally gave their fans dual celebrations via goals to star Chloe Molloy in her first AFLW game in almost two years, and the brilliant Jaimee Lambert.

That duo was a constant threat throughout the game and the Pies were never headed thereafter. 

West Coast was ably led by captain Emma Swanson (18 disposals) and Hooker (18), while forward Grace Kelly was lively. 

Emma Swanson of the Eagles kicks the ball during the 2020 AFLW Round 01 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the West Coast Eagles at Victoria Park on February 9, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.

Midfielder Imahra Cameron (13) had several good moments, as did defensive pair McKenzie Dowrick (10) and Chantella Perera (9), who worked in tandem to quell several Magpie incursions.

COLLINGWOOD     0.0     2.2     3.4     5.8     (38)
WEST COAST          1.2     1.2     1.4     1.5     (11)

GOALS
Collingwood: Molloy, Lambert, Chiocci, Layton, Darcy
West Coast: Hooker

BEST 
Collingwood: Chiocci, Lambert, Livingstone, Molloy, Layton, Butler
West Coast: Hooker, Swanson, Kelly, Cameron

INJURIES 
Collingwood: Davey (lower leg)
West Coast: Hill (knee)

Crowd: 6100 at Victoria Park