West Coast ready themselves for another hard-fought battle on Sunday
By westcoasteagles.com.au
The West Coast Eagles will take on crosstown rivals Fremantle in Sunday’s AFLW RAC Derby, with Daisy Pearce’s squad embracing the opportunity to continue their growth against a respected opponent.
The Eagles head into the clash buoyed by consecutive comeback wins and a growing belief in their ability to perform in tight contests, but Pearce insists her side’s focus remains on sticking to their game plan.
“We’re looking forward to another opportunity to play and improve,” Pearce said.
“The group is in a good spot, really cherishing every moment to get after our game.
“The depth of the squad has created healthy competition, and the players are relishing every chance to improve.
“Fremantle are an amazing team with their contest work and their work rate, they make you play 80 minutes of footy so we’re preparing for them at their best.”
The Eagles’ coach praised her young squad’s resilience after producing consecutive late surges to secure wins, but said the next step was starting games more strongly.
“Their belief is definitely growing,” Pearce said.
“They’re clearer about what fuels our best footy and what to turn to when momentum shifts.
“Ideally, we don’t want to leave ourselves with a deficit to chase down, but it’s a good sign they know they can win from anywhere and have the physical capability to run games out.”
Co-captain Bella Lewis said the team’s development and strengthened fitness base had given them confidence heading into the Derby.
“We’re probably closer than we have been before,” Lewis said.
“Our group is embracing the expectation, we’ve got a lot of girls who are really trained to win and are driving that mentality.
“Our fitness has gone to another level this year and the depth of our list is exciting.
Eagles co-captain Bella Lewis and Fremantle captain Ange Stannett
“We’ve got genuine competition for spots, and that’s lifted everyone’s standards.”
While the significance of claiming a first AFLW Derby win isn’t lost on the group, both Pearce and Lewis stressed the team would approach the clash with the same mindset as every other week.
“It would be another sign of our progress, but the outcome is just a byproduct of us sticking to our values and our game plan,” Pearce said.
Lewis, preparing for her first Derby as co-captain, said the team was embracing the opportunity.
“The pressure and intensity of a derby is higher, which is exciting, but for us it starts with training,” she said.
“We’re optimistic and hungry, but it’s about keeping that same standard we want to bring every week.”
The RAC Derby promises another fierce battle as the Eagles aim to take another step forward in their journey and challenge their cross-town rivals.
West Coast take on Fremantle on Sunday at Fremantle Community Bank Oval, bouncedown from 3:05pm, and the game can be watched live on 7mate, Fox Footy and Kayo. Tickets to the RAC Derby available here.