West Coast Eagles coach Daisy Pearce is focusing on the positives from last week’s loss to Port Adelaide, while looking forward to Saturday’s Pride Round match up with Hawthorn at Kinetic Stadium.
The Eagles suffered a 13-point loss at home, their third loss of the season, but Pearce was proud of how the team fought throughout the game.
“I thought we actually finished pretty strong,” Pearce said.
“Port Adelaide had a really strong second quarter and start of their third and start of their fourth, but we were proud of how we actually fought the game out.
“Aside from 20 minutes of footy in the game where Port Adelaide got right on top of us, and while they had momentum in the game, we got scored against really heavily.
“That’s a big focus for us this week, in the top competition when you play against good sides, they’re going to have those periods of footy.
“Plenty of positives to take out of the game, to be able to score quite well against a team who are a strong contest and clearance team, and get the ball living in our front half off the back of good defence, I thought that was us at our best.
“But just trying to maintain that consistency is important across the full 80 minutes of footy.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s clash with the Hawks, Pearce said the team is up for the challenge.
“The Hawks have been impressive, their fundamentals are solid, right across the board and their skill level,” Pearce said.
“It enables them to play a game where they try and maintain possession of the ball and really shift it and play quite a quick game style.
“If your defence is a bit off, they will keep the ball off you and give their forwards a really good opportunity, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.
“It will challenge our defence, but when we’ve been at our best so far this season, when we defend well, put the ball back into a contest, we often get our best scoring opportunities off the back of that, so that will be a big focus this week.”
Rising Eagles star Ella Roberts had another outstanding game last week, landing herself in the AFLW Team of the Week for the third time this season, with an equal career-high 27 touches and a career-high and round-high 11 marks.
“I think most sides now, when they put their opposition analysis up, will have Ella on the board, I don’t think that will be new this week, I think El has faced that every week,” Pearce said.
“I think they (Hawks) will (give Roberts extra attention), but they have a really strong system and strong midfield themselves and they’re going quite well.
“She’ll be a focus, all good midfielders can attack and defend but I think they will back in their system to get the job done.
“They may not necessarily tag her but having a look at some of their mids in (Emily) Bates and (Eliza) West, I know they will have a defensive mindset anyway, so not necessarily a tag, but maybe a run with.”
The league is celebrating Pride Round this week, with the Eagle’s debuting their Pride Round jumper at home last weekend, and co-vice-captain Bella Lewis said the round means a lot for the team and the Pride community.
“It’s really special, our competition is probably one of the strongest competitions where we get to platform the Pride community,” Lewis said.
“We get to show our love in the inclusion and diversity space, and that’s something that the club has done really, really well, especially the past couple of years.
“I know there’s now a diversity and inclusion working group which Daisy and a couple of the girls are in, which is really exciting.
“I think for all of us who are in the Pride community, and those aren’t, it’s really special for our group to be able to have those open conversations and pay it back to the community as well.”
