All-Australian defender Charlie Thomas and up-and-coming young midfielder Courtney Rowley have both signed on with the West Coast Eagles on multi-year contracts.
Club Champion Thomas has signed a three-year contract extension, which will see her retained until at least the end of 2027.
The 20-year-old is fresh off a breakout year, when she solidified herself as a stable and reliable backline pillar and became the first Eagle to be named in the 21-player All-Australian team.
Thomas, who was already contracted for 2024, said she has high hopes for her personal development and is confident that the team will see success in the near future.
“It’s really exciting to be staying at the club for another four years,” Thomas said.
“I’m looking forward to what we can achieve over the next few years, with some exciting young talent coming through, the girls make hard work easier, we’re a really tight-knit group and I just love being around them.
“I’m keen to just keep playing my role for the team, however that might look, in whatever position, and develop my craft, get fitter, faster and stronger for the next season, and then as a team, we’ll hopefully get a few more wins on the board, which I’m confident that this group can do.”
Promising talent Rowley has signed a two-year contract extension, which will see her remain in the blue and gold until at least the end of 2026.
The WA local was recruited from Peel Thunder ahead of season six, emerging as one of the Eagles’ toughest tacklers, known for her incredible ability to bring down some of the League’s top midfielders.
Playing all 10 games last season, Rowley has confirmed herself as an important part of West Coast’s engine room.
The crafty onballer produced an outstanding performance in round nine last season against the Western Bulldogs, managing 18 touches, eight contested possessions, three marks and two tackles, with 232 metres gained.
Rowley also laid a career-best nine tackles in round eight, providing a strong contribution in West Coast’s thrilling upset win over Essendon.
In unfortunate news, following her end of season medical assessment, it was revealed that Rowley would require surgery on an ACL injury sustained in round 10 against Adelaide.
Rowley will spend the off-season in rehab, working her way through a 12-month recovery.
The 20-year-old, who was also already contracted for 2024, said she has a strong connection to the club and her teammates and is looking forward to getting back on the track.
“I’m super happy and super keen, I honestly wouldn’t want to be playing my footy anywhere else,” Rowley said.
“I love it here, I love the girls and have such a love for my team, we have such a good, young group and there’s a lot of us girls who are really committed to sticking together.
“The club as a whole has a lot of belief and trust in me, so that also made the decision to extend so much easier.
“Next year will just be getting through my rehab and working really hard to get back into the team and building up my strength, and as a group, I’d like to see us win some more games and continue working hard together to reach our goals.”
