Isabella Lewis and Ella Roberts celebrate a goal during the match between Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) and Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide) at Mineral Resources Park in round four, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

WAALITJ Marawar has come from behind for the second straight week, standing up under pressure to beat Yartapuulti by 19 points in a bruising wet-weather clash at Mineral Resources Park on Sunday. 

The Eagles trailed by 19 points early but chipped away at the Power before surging in the final quarter to kick five goals to one when the game was on the line, winning 10.4 (64) to 7.3 (45).

EAGLES v POWER Full match coverage and stats

Second-year coach Daisy Pearce received a massive reception as she walked through the crowd late in the game as the Eagles moved to 3-1 and proved they are a tougher, fitter and more skilful outfit in 2025. 

Co-captain Bella Lewis was inspiring in the final term, booting two critical goals and finishing with 22 disposals, while midfielder Courtney Rowley dominated the centre square with 26 and seven clearances. 

Superstar Ella Roberts (25 and five clearances) grew into the game and played a crucial hand late to set up Lewis, with Georgie Cleaver leading the backline brilliantly all day. 

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Yartapuulti, which was beaten 149-130 in contested possessions and failed to match the Eagles’ intensity late in the game as the home team ran in waves and got more numbers to every contest. 

Ruck Matilda Scholz suffered a dislocated finger but played through pain, while Ashleigh Woodland was one player who relished the contest, finishing with 20 disposals, 13 contested possessions and seven clearances.   

Fresh off a club-record 68-point win against Gold Coast, Yartapuulti travelled west with confidence and made a fast start after adjusting to the slippery conditions quickly and kicking the first three goals of the game. 

They went long and direct and had some help when the Eagles lapsed on the goalline and allowed Ella Heads’ set shot to bounce through from long range. 

The Eagles had several impressive handball chains through the midfield but were a little too cute with the ball and couldn’t connect going inside 50. Charlotte Riggs finally got them going with a brilliant running goal from 40m. 

The adjustment came in the second quarter as the rain got heavier, with the Eagles tackling hard and then moving the ball without fuss to draw the game level after a long set short from young star Lucia Painter. 

The Power responded late, however, and took an 11-point lead into the main break after Indy Tahau got free over the top to boot her second goal. 

Waalitj Marawar had the better of the third quarter and continued to excel in the contest, with the backline holding up brilliantly to concede one goal from the Power’s 12 entries. 

The margin was just four points at the final change after Lauren Wakfer pounced on a handball and kicked a brilliant running goal, with the game up for grabs before the Eagles late surge.   

Contest crucial in Power failure 
Little separated the teams in contested ball at the main break (71-69), but it became a gulf in the second half as the Eagles won the count 78-61 and laid the foundations for the fightback. It was clearly the most disappointing aspect of the loss for Power coach Lauren Arnell, whose team had shone at the coalface in their big win against the Suns one week earlier. “The Eagles clearly worked harder than we did for longer. We’re exceptionally disappointed in our second half,” the coach said. “We believe our ability to compete is better than that and we didn’t turn up for long enough today.” 

Turning defence into offence
Charlotte Riggs produced the play of the day early for Waalitj Marawar, standing tall in the midfield to intercept and then turning on the jets. The first-year Eagle called on all her athleticism and versatility, handballing to teammate Kayla Dalgleish and then calling for it back and streaming inside 50 to convert on the run from 45m. It was another example of the growing skill of the AFLW’s new breed, with Riggs kicking her first AFLW goal in fine style in just her second game.    

Next up
The Eagles have a blockbuster Western Derby to look forward to and appear well placed to win their first clash against Fremantle in AFLW history, with the team’s squaring off next Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval. The Power return home and host Narrm at Alberton Oval next Saturday.

WAALITJ MARAWAR    1.0   3.3   5.4   10.4 (64)
YARTAPUULTI              3.1   5.2   6.2   7.3 (45)   

GOALS
Waalitj Marawar: Riggs 2, Lewis 2, Britton, Bushby, Gibson, Painter, Rowley, Wakfer
Yartapuulti: Tahau 2, Goody, Heads, Houghton, Sowden, Woodland 

BEST
Waalitj Marawar: Rowley, Lewis, Cleaver, Roberts, Drennan, Gibson
Yartapuulti:  Woodland, Tahau, Scholz, Syme 

INJURIES
Waalitj Marawar: Nil 
Yartapuulti: Scholz (dislocated finger)  

Crowd: TBC at Mineral Resources Park