Emerging young defender Beth Schilling’s development has come along in leaps and bounds, and Saturday’s game against Essendon was no exception.

Schilling finished with a game-high seven marks, 11 intercept possessions and three tackles.

The 20-year-old’s aerial work was outstanding, holding her own in marking contests and make a number of crucial plays to win the ball back for her team.

In the absence of key defender Sophie McDonald (concussion), Schilling has shown she can compete at the elite level, and for the second week in a row, has played in integral role for the Eagles and their 2024 campaign.