West Coast young gun Ella Roberts has been recognised for her outstanding performance in the round one clash with Fremantle with a Rising Star nomination.
The Eagles fell to Fremantle by eight points in the high-pressure match, but Roberts starred with a game-high 24 disposals, 16 of those contested, a game-high 19 kicks, four marks and four tackles.
The 18-year-old was awarded the RAC Derby medal for her efforts, becoming the first Eagle in AFLW history to win the best afield honour.
Hailing from Peel Thunder, Roberts was the 14th pick in the 2022 AFLW draft, and the first selection from the WA draft pool.
This is the second time the promising youngster has been nominated for the Rising Star in her career, receiving a nomination for her impressive display in round six against Hawthorn last season.
“I feel very honoured to get the Rising Star nomination,” Roberts said.
“I think getting it early in the season is going to be a good confidence builder and enable me to back my ability on the field.
“But at the end of the day, we wanted to get that win and we didn’t get it so there’s a bit of disappointment on my end but also very happy with the nomination.”
After successfully completing an intensive pre-season, Roberts said she has seen improvements on and off the field.
“Personally, fitness has been a big thing for me,” Roberts said.
“Getting a full pre-season in and setting some realistic goals, working on the mental side of footy which I haven’t done before, and I’ve found that’s been a really good improvement for me this year.”
Joining the club at just 17 years of age, Roberts said Eagles captain and AFLW veteran Emma Swanson has had a big impact on her journey so far.
“’Swanny’ has just been an incredible leader and I’ve looked up to her since before I was even drafted,” Roberts said.
“Being able to learn from her and pick at her brain and the way she goes about footy and the way she thinks about it, it would be awesome to become a player like her.”
