It’s starting to get spicy at Mineral Resources Park. The West Coast Eagles are gearing up for a make-or-break AFLW stoush with the GWS Giants this Sunday, and honestly, the stakes couldn’t be much higher. After copping two losses on the trot, Daisy Pearce is still backing her crew, reckoning they’re learning on the fly — but let’s be real, there’s still plenty to fix as the pointy end of the season creeps closer.
Finals? Maybe. But don’t blink.
So, here’s where we’re at: five rounds left, Eagles clinging to ninth, and the only thing keeping them from finals is a measly 4.1 percent gap. Not even a full game. Plus, three teams below them have the same number of wins — it’s like musical chairs, but with more bruises. Remember that 3-1 start? Kinda feels like a distant memory, huh?
Pearce isn’t losing sleep, though. Even after last week’s Melbourne shellacking, she’s banging on about resilience and fighting it out for four quarters. Gotta respect the optimism.
“We’re hungry, we keep growing,” Pearce said. “Sure, it took us ages to wake up last weekend, but our defense is actually hanging tough. We’re right up there stopping scores, and that counts for something, right?”
Bella Lewis Watch: She’ll Play Through It
Everyone at training basically exhaled in unison when Bella Lewis was jogging around like nothing happened after that nasty hip pointer against Melbourne. Daisy says she’s not 100%, but let’s be honest, Bella would probably play with a broken leg if you let her.
“She’s sore, but she’s a battler,” Pearce shrugged. “No real damage. She wants back out there leading, and unless something wild happens, she’ll run out on Sunday.”
On the other side, Lucia Painter’s concussion from the derby’s still hanging around. Slow start to recovery, but at least she’s trending upward. Fingers crossed for the kid.
Old Heads Back In — Just in Time
Get this: Dana Hooker and Emma Swanson are both back. Swanson only missed one with suspension, but her comeback is massive. That bit of leadership? Couldn’t have timed it better.
Pearce is pretty blunt about it: the Eagles can get the ball inside-50, but turning entries into actual points… yeah, still a work in progress.
“We’re getting it forward, sure, but we’ve gotta actually put it on the scoreboard,” Pearce said. “That’s the bit we’re still patching together.”
GWS Looms — Winner Stays in the Race
GWS is sniffing around just below the Eagles, so Sunday’s basically a mini-elimination final. For Pearce, the mission’s simple: scrap for everything, keep improving, and cash in on their potential.
Sunday arvo, Mineral Resources Park. Home fans going nuts. Can the Eagles steady the ship? Guess we’ll see.
The AFLW West Coast Eagles vs GWS Giants 2025 clash — loser probably starts planning mad Mondays, winner keeps dreaming about September.
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