\n West Coast ready themselves for another hard-fought battle on Sunday\n <\/p>\n
\n By westcoasteagles.com.au\n <\/p>\n
The West Coast Eagles will take on crosstown rivals Fremantle in Sunday\u2019s AFLW RAC Derby, with Daisy Pearce\u2019s squad embracing the opportunity to continue their growth against a respected opponent.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s focus remains on sticking to their game plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to another opportunity to play and improve,\u201d Pearce said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe group is in a good spot, really cherishing every moment to get after our game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe depth of the squad has created healthy competition, and the players are relishing every chance to improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cFremantle are an amazing team with their contest work and their work rate, they make you play 80 minutes of footy so we\u2019re preparing for them at their best.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Eagles\u2019 coach praised her young squad\u2019s resilience after producing consecutive late surges to secure wins, but said the next step was starting games more strongly.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir belief is definitely growing,\u201d Pearce said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re clearer about what fuels our best footy and what to turn to when momentum shifts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIdeally, we don\u2019t want to leave ourselves with a deficit to chase down, but it\u2019s a good sign they know they can win from anywhere and have the physical capability to run games out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Co-captain Bella Lewis said the team\u2019s development and strengthened fitness base had given them confidence heading into the Derby.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re probably closer than we have been before,\u201d Lewis said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur group is embracing the expectation, we\u2019ve got a lot of girls who are really trained to win and are driving that mentality.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur fitness has gone to another level this year and the depth of our list is exciting.<\/p>\n
Eagles co-captain Bella Lewis and Fremantle captain Ange Stannett<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got genuine competition for spots, and that\u2019s lifted everyone\u2019s standards.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the significance of claiming a first AFLW Derby win isn\u2019t lost on the group, both Pearce and Lewis stressed the team would approach the clash with the same mindset as every other week.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be another sign of our progress, but the outcome is just a byproduct of us sticking to our values and our game plan,\u201d Pearce said.<\/p>\n
Lewis, preparing for her first Derby as co-captain, said the team was embracing the opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pressure and intensity of a derby is higher, which is exciting, but for us it starts with training,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re optimistic and hungry, but it\u2019s about keeping that same standard we want to bring every week.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n