AFLW premiership player Kellie Gibson, goalsneak Ashlee Atkins, and hardnosed defender Maddy Collier will all don the blue and gold next season after recommitting to the club.
Gibson is set to return to the Eagles’ midfield after shifting from attack last season amid the absences of some key personnel.
The former Adelaide premiership player showed plenty of her trademark grit and determination, finishing the year strongly with 80 disposals and 30 tackles from nine games.
“Great to have ‘Gibbo’, she’s a premiership player, we made her move about halfway through the season to play midfield, which we thought we got bang for buck from,” AFLW coach Daniel Pratt said.
“She’ll continue to develop in that area, through the midfield. It was great to lock her away.”
Three-time East Fremantle premiership player Ashlee Atkins has also penned a new deal with the side, making her an Eagle until the end of 2022.
The experienced superboot will enter her fifth year in the AFLW, while continuing to assist in the development of younger and more inexperienced players amongst the group.
Last year saw Atkins reach career-best numbers in the competition, with 28 tackles, 15 marks and 82 disposals in her nine games on-field.
“Very goal savvy type player, it’s great to have Atkins, she’s a really experienced forward,” Pratt said.
“She’s got very good goal sense, so she’ll continue to help us grow our attacking side of our game.”
Maddy Collier has also resigned with West Coast after a career-best season in 2021.
Collier also laid 28 tackles, alongside 94 disposals and 11 marks in eight games.
“Maddy Collier, really good to lock her away, probably had her best season of football last year,” Pratt said.
“We’ll continue to give her clarity on her role, and feel she’ll be a mainstay of our football club for the next four or five years, so it’s really good to sign her again, alongside a couple of the other girls.”