1. West Coast were left heartbroken on Sunday afternoon after dropping a 16-point lead to Gold Coast in the final term, with inability to stop momentum proving costly after the Suns managed five goals in 10 minutes to clinch their first win since 2020. The Eagles’ defence stood strong for most of the match after West Coast lost the inside 50 count 30 to 21, however the Suns’ momentum in the dying minutes of the match proved difficult to thwart and eventually saw West Coast fall by 13 points.
2. The Eagles will also look at ways to stop conceding simple goals after Tara Bohanna (three goals) and Kate Surman (two goals) managed to tear apart West Coast’s defence to claim a round two victory. Despite half-back Belinda Smith (16 disposals, 12 intercepts) standing up, it wasn’t enough to stop Gold Coast’s ongoing attack after a valiant effort for most of the match.
3. While the Eagles may have eventually fallen to the Suns, they proved again yesterday their best is very good. After a high-quality third quarter against Fremantle in round one – narrowing a 17-point half-time deficit to just five points – and slotting three goals in quick succession to gain a 16-point lead on Sunday, West Coast has shown they can be dangerous against any opposition. The next step is being more consistent across four quarters.
4. West Coast’s leaders are showing the way, with skipper Emma Swanson (20 disposals, five tackles), vice-captain Dana Hooker (18, four) and senior midfielder Aisling McCarthy (13, four) among the most influential players on the field. That trio fired the Eagles’ engine room and led from the front, however coach Michael Prior has highlighted the importance of a more even spread of contributors.
5. Mikayla Bowen again showed West Coast’s future is in the right hands after another hard-working performance. The 21-year-old slotted West Coast’s first goal of the fourth quarter and finished the match with 12 disposals, eight tackles and two score involvements. Bowen’s desire to improve grows with every game and she looks on track to have her most successful season yet.
