The West Coast Eagles will hold their AFLW Club Champion awards in Crown Perth’s Grand Ballroom on Saturday evening. The event will be live streamed on westcoasteagles.com.au and the Official Club App.
Alongside the Club Champion Award, the club will also present the Club Champion Runner Up, Best Club Person, Emerging Talent Award and Trademark Player, voted by the playing group.
The Club Champion is voted by the Eagles’ coaching panel, with each player given a score after each round to determine the winner.
Take a look below at some of the top performers who will be in the running for awards on Saturday night.
Bella Lewis
Capping off her season with her 50th game in the blue and gold, Bella Lewis had another impressive campaign in 2024, the 21-year-old leading from the front through the Eagles’ engine room. Lewis averaged a career-high 19.8 disposals per game and finished the season with a career-high five goals. The co-vice-captain continues to show maturity, poise and leadership beyond her years, and will be gearing up for another big season in 2025.
Charlie Thomas
Reigning Club Champion Charlie Thomas picked up where she left off last season, nullifying some of the most dangerous key forwards in the competition. Thomas finished first in the League for rebound 50s, highlighting her incredible work rate and talent for moving the ball forward for her teammates advantage. In her first season as co-vice-captain alongside Bella Lewis, Thomas’ leadership continues to develop, offering guidance and mentorship for fellow young defenders coming through the ranks.
Beth Schilling
In what has been one of the biggest stories to come out of this season, Beth Schilling has well and truly announced herself on the big stage. It has been a break-out year for the young defender, her development, growth and confidence a pleasure to watch from week to week. After a standout performance against the Bombers, managing 14 disposals, seven marks and three tackles, Schilling was rewarded with the week two Rising Star nomination, and she continued to shine in every game after.
Ella Roberts
In just her third season in the AFLW, Roberts elevated her game to new heights and played in a way that had her coaches, teammates and fans watching on in awe. The 19-year-old Peel Thunder product became a dominant midfielder in the competition, averaging career-bests for disposals (21.4), contested possessions (12.2) and clearances (3.5), while also kicking six goals. Her aerial work was another feature of her game, with Roberts finishing fourth in the League for contested marks (13). Roberts managed a career-high 11 marks in week six against Port Adelaide, before breaking the Eagles’ AFLW club disposal record in week nine against Geelong with 33 touches.
Zoe Wakfer
Emerging young defender Zoe Wakfer has come along in leaps and bounds this season, really settling into her game and developing her craft in the backline. Her height, tough body work and strong hands make her a challenging opponent for any forward to match up with, and she finished 10th in the League for spoils (34). Wakfer ticked off some key milestone this season, managing a career-high 17 disposals in week eight against the Dockers, before finishing the season with a career-high seven marks against the Swans in week 10.
Jess Rentsch
The Eagles’ No. 2 draft pick Jess Rentsch did not disappoint in her first year at AFLW level. The energetic and charismatic 18-year-old effortlessly slotted in with the group after moving over to Perth from country Victoria and has been a breath of fresh air for her teammates and for the Eagles AFLW program as a whole. The talented teen is eager to learn from those around her, and while her on-field role varied this season, Rentsch took each new direction in her stride and challenged herself to grow her craft and apply her new skillset in game play.
Emma Swanson
In her sixth season in the blue and gold, captain Emma Swanson once again led her side admirably, continuing to be a pillar of this developing group, and an inspiration and mentor for her younger teammates. After playing majority of her career through the midfield, Swanson took on a new role in the backline this season, maintaining her poise and composure and while learning a completely new craft. Swanson became just the second Eagle to play 50 games for the club, hitting the impressive milestone against the Fremantle Dockers in week eight.
Lauren Wakfer
Young forward-ruck Lauren Wakfer has showed her range this season, her role moving away from ruck duties and towards the forward line as a tall and strong marking target for her teammates. The 20-year-old never shies away from a contest or a big hit, and at 180cm tall, always competes strongly in the air.
Ali Drennan
Experienced midfielder Ali Drennan was an absolute ball magnet in her first season in the blue and gold. The former Sun joined the Eagles in the off-season and her high standards and work rate were evident from the beginning. The 33-year-old tallied a career-high 12 tackles in week three against the Western Bulldogs and finished the season averaging a career-high 4.5 clearances per game. Drennan managed six 20+ possession games and was a pivotal piece of the Eagles’ engine room this season.
Kellie Gibson
For the second consecutive season, Kellie Gibson has finished as the Eagles’ leading goal kicker, managing eight goals from 10 games in 2024. Gibson has been a strong pillar of the West Coast forward line, slotting set shots and generating crafty snaps to help provide scoreboard pressure for her team. While this was Gibson’s ninth season in the League, the veteran managed a career-high five marks against Essendon in week two, and a career-high seven tackles in week three against the Bulldogs.
