The elite defender hit new heights in the backline this season and finished runner-up in the Eagles’ Club Champion awards.

An early start to the AFLW pre-season built the foundation for another impressive campaign for star defender Charlie Thomas, culminating in a second-place finish at the 2024 Club Champion Awards.

Not satisfied with becoming the first AFLW Eagle to earn All-Australian honours, or her maiden Club Champion award, Thomas helped raise the bar again for her teammates as they embarked on a new era under Daisy Pearce.

“I worked on my running ability in the off-season, as well as just overall strength,” Thomas said.

“I’ve still got a long way to go and I’m looking forward to getting to work on those things again in this off-season as well.

“I think we made progress in those areas as a whole team as well.”

Thomas has developed into one of the most consistently dominant defenders in the League, showing talent and footy smarts well beyond her years.

The Subiaco product was named co-vice-captain ahead of the 2024 campaign, alongside midfielder Bella Lewis, a reflection of Thomas’ leadership and maturity within the tight-knit Eagles group.

“This season was a little bit different in terms of my role on-field and off-field, I’ve really enjoyed stepping into the leadership space,” Thomas said.

“I learnt a lot this season, my line coach changed with Martene (Pearman) coming in which has been amazing, and I’ve loved what I’ve learnt from her.

“This season has been full of lots of new learnings, which I’ve really enjoyed.”

In her fourth season in the League, Thomas reached new personal best milestones, managing a career-high 25 kicks in Week Seven against Hawthorn, and a career-high 661 metres gained in the same game.

The ability for the group to stay together and stay really well connected throughout the year was important

- Charlie Thomas

Thomas averaged a career-high 19.3 touches per game in 2024, finished first in the League for Rebound 50s (72), third in the League for kicks (186) and seventh in the League for intercept possessions (74).

In a season that saw a number of new recruits join the Eagles’ nest, including the new senior coach, Thomas thrived within the program, and strengthened the connections with her teammates.

“Having a new coach meant we had to spend some time getting to know Daisy (Pearce) and her getting to know us too,” Thomas said.

“The ability for the group to stay together and stay really well connected throughout the year was important, and I think we did that really well, and have done so over the past couple of seasons.

“I think every year our connection within the group gets stronger and it’s like a sisterhood dynamic, we’ve each got 29 sisters at the club and it’s really great.”

While Thomas and the team adjusted to a new coach and game plan, Pearce praised the way Thomas handles herself, both on and off the field.

“Charlie has been awesome,” Pearce said.

“She had a terrific year last year, winning an All-Australian, so for a young person to back that up with hard work just shows Charlie’s humility and work ethic.

“She’s and incredible teammate and leader, I’ve never seen someone as young as Charlie have the ability to work so hard on their own game, but then step back from that and be so aware and caring for everyone else around her.

“That as a skillset usually comes in time as you develop through your career, but Charlie can do both already which is an amazing skill and why she will be a great leader of this footy club for a long time.”