1. The Irish midfielders were the silver lining in Sunday’s AFLW loss to Fremantle. The speed and resilience shown by both Aisling McCarthy and the Kelly sisters was something to be admired, with their fast ball work and intensity assisting in many of the Eagles’ inside 50 entries. Their raw statistics speak for themselves; Aisling McCarthy topping the West Coast disposal count at 22 and Niamh Kelly close behind with 17. Grace Kelly also loaded up on touches, with 15 and the team’s only goal of the match.
2. The continued growth of young midfield duo Bella Lewis and Mikayla Bowen also impressed, collecting 17 and 15 disposals respectively. Lewis and Bowen fought hard in the midfield for the entire game, also laying two tackles each. Lewis’ fast footwork was also impressive, leading to a number of long balls straight down the line and out of danger. South Australian youngster Lauren Gauci must also be commended for her midfield play, with a speedy rundown tackle on Gabby O’Sullivan, which resulted in a turnover.
3. Defender Maddy Collier, continued her good form and stood up on the other end of the field, putting in a four-quarter effort. Despite the heavy knocks and constant contested ball, Collier held strong. With a lot of the football inside Fremantle’s 50, Collier’s attack didn’t waver, and she was a consistent contributor throughout the match.
4. The team’s backline depth and contested ball will also be a focus in coming weeks. While it was difficult at times to stop the Fremantle offence, players such as ruck Parris Laurie must be commended. Laurie came back in the final term of the match to assist defensively, and stood up for her side with 11 disposals. The non-stop effort of Chantella Perera, with nine disposals, three marks and two tackles was also noteworthy.
5. In terms of inside 50 entries, West Coast Eagles AFLW coach Daniel Pratt is determined to work conversions inside the forward line. However, Pratt was impressed with the resilience and maturity shown in defeat, and understands this is part of being a youthful squad. This structure will come in due time, particularly for a side in its second season. Resilience and commitment in defeat are always paramount, and the West Coast Eagles side displayed that in spades. They never relinquished their thirst for the battle, despite being out-gunned.