Jessica Sedunary, Emma Humphries, Mikayla Western, Krstel Petrevski, Kate Bartlett and Sasha Goranova will all make their first appearance for the club, recording the most debuts in any game since the club’s side’s inception in 2020.
Both Ella Roberts and Isabella Simmons had their AFLW debuts announced earlier in the week rounding out the total number of debutants to eight.
Despite playing in the blue and gold for the first time, premiership-winning ex-Crow Jessica Sedunary will run out for her 22nd game in AFLW, bringing the Eagles more valuable experience.
“Jess is a key part of this squad and plays a very specific role for the side,” AFLW coach Michael Prior told westcoasteagles.com.au.
“She’s going to be great anchor for some of the younger players in this squad someone they can look to for some on ground leadership.”
Former Demon and Kangaroo, Humphries will add to the engine of the team dictating the pace on the wing or at small forward, while ex-Melbourne player Krstel Petrevski wlll follow in cousin Samo Petrevski-Seton’s footsteps by pulling on the Eagles guernsey for the first time.
“Humphries is one of the hardest workers in this squad,” Prior explained.
She’s in a competitive spot on the field and she’s shown she can hold down that position week in and week out.
“Krstel wants to prove she can play at that level and her work over the pre-season definitely reflects her attitude to break out this season,"
Another speedster, Mikayla Western, is set to debut for the Eagles, alongside Claremont teammate and former train-on Sasha Goranova, who has waited a long time for her opportunity.
“Mikayla is another one of those players that can speed up the pace of the game and run our opponents off their feet,” Prior said.
“The side have proved they are fit over this off-season so having players like Mikayla and Krstel moving it quick through middle will be beneficial for us.
Proving a great fit for the side, Goranova was another player who wasn’t going to stop working until she found herself playing regular AFLW footy.
“Sasha has really put in the hard yards over the past year and a half."
“She’s been impressive at Claremont and has more than proved she belongs in this weekend’s match against Port Adelaide.”
Finally, one of the most anticipated Eagles to make her debut, goal scoring machine Kate Bartlett, gets her spot after previously playing one game for the Western Bulldogs in 2019.
Bartlett has been one of the standouts in the pre-season practice matches against Hawthorn and Fremantle, scoring four goals between the two games.
“It’s obvious to anyone who followed our pre-season Kate was a stand-out,” Prior said.
“She’s been put up forward on the back of a strong WAFL season, she will now work in with her fellow forwards to ensure we get reward for effort in our front half."
West Coast will start Season 7 of AFLW this Saturday against Port Adelaide, bouncing down at Mineral Resources Park at 1:10am AWST.
