The Daisy Pearce era at West Coast is off to a flying start with the Eagles holding on for an epic one-point win over Richmond in a Friday night thriller.
Backed by a large and vocal crowd at Mineral Resources Park, the home team started in blazing fashion and clung on desperately late for a dream opening to the 2024 campaign.
It wasn’t without plenty of drama, with the Tigers taking the lead in the dying minutes, before veteran Kellie Gibson showed all her experience in milking the clock and converting her second goal.
Richmond had the chance to win it with a flying snap in the final seconds, but the Eagles showed their fight and held on for a dramatic 6.4 (40) to 5.9 (39) win.
The victory was built on West Coast's highest-scoring opening half (5.1) which opened just enough of a break to keep Richmond at bay, up by 22 points at the long break.
Speaking pre-match Pearce hoped to see contest and connection from her charges and would have been thrilled with their output.
Despite fielding seven new faces – five AFLW debutants and two club first-gamers – the Eagles were a cohesive unit and swarmed with their pressure.
Recruits Jess Hosking (15 disposals, two goals) and Alison Drennan (18 disposals, 10 tackles) added experience and composure, while reigning club champion Charlie Thomas (24 disposals) picked up where she left off last year.
Ella Roberts (20) and Bella Lewis (19) were firestarters in the midfield early and helped will West Coast over the line.
Reigning AFLW best and fairest Monique Conti overcame a sluggish start to finish with 30 disposals for Richmond, while captain Katie Brennan would have rued two missed shots in the final term and finished with three behinds.
West Coast draftees Jess Rentsch and Georgie Cleaver were solid down back in their first matches, while Sanne Bakker, Verity Simmons and Tess Lyons had their moments.
The Eagles breathed a huge sigh of relief at the final siren, which sparked jubilant scenes on the field and in the coaches box.
West Coast went into their shells as Richmond charged home, booting four unanswered goals in the second half before Gibson sealed the deal.
Richmond’s Jemima Woods and Maddie Shevlin drilled back-to-back goals to reduce the margin to two points, before Emelia Yassir put the Tigers in front for the first time all night with barely three minutes remaining.
But the Eagles’ spirit shone through when - after some outstanding forward pressure - Abby Bushby kicked long to Gibson unmarked in the goalsquare.
Drawing on all her experience, Gibson took her full 30 seconds instead of running into an open goal and put West Coast back in front in the final minute.
The Tigers edged many of the key statistics, including inside 50s (33-25), contested possessions (111-93) and clearances (29-21) but the Eagles found a way.
It is only the second time in West Coast’s brief AFLW history that the blue and gold have started the season with a victory, and sets up the chance for the team’s first shot at back-to-back wins next round.
The Eagles will enjoy an eight-day break before Essendon heads west for their clash at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday, September 7.
DETAILS
WEST COAST 2.1 5.1 5.3 6.4 (40)
RICHMOND 0.2 1.3 2.5 5.9 (39)
Goals
West Coast: Hosking 2, Gibson 2, Franklin, Western
Richmond: Jones. Kelly, Woods, Shevlin, Yassir
Best
West Coast: Hosking, Roberts, Drennan, Thomas, Gibson, Lewis
Richmond: Conti, McKenzie, Egan, Dempsey, Kelly, Dallaway
Injuries
West Coast: Nil
Richmond: Nil
Crowd
2166 at Mineral Resources Park
