AFLW West Coast Womens 2025

[JADED]

I thought I'd hate it, but as I read it, it's not a bad suggestion. Just for the next few years, at least.

But then, I also don't think it's really necessary. The AFLW is very different from the AFL in that the top 30 picks are already better than %90 of the current AFLW seniors, and given the smaller size of AFLW lists, bottom-ranked teams get filled up with great new talent real fast.

Then there's the Northern Academies - Gold Coast are going to grab a bunch of huge talents this year under those rules, add to the kids they've already got, they'll be a huge force in a few years. And GWS will probably get pick one this year, which will be Chloe Bown (freakish player), then next year their Academy class looks almost as good as Gold Coast's this year... their top 12 players will be scary in a few years (you notice the Allies team being suddenly competitive this year in the U18s? Mostly GWS Academy girls).

I'd go for the "rolling 3 year" idea, but not for that AND priority picks based on the same ladder.

Collingwood with 7 wins over 3 years get picks 3 & 6 whilst WCE with 9 wins (so far) only get pick 8.

Ignoring academy picks and draft needs, last year's top order would have gone, (article skips pick 9 for some reason)

Pick 1 (priority): GWS Giants (3.5 wins since 2023) Ash Centra

Pick 2 (priority): Western Bulldogs (6 wins)
Havana Harris

Pick 3 (priority): Collingwood (7 wins)
Molly O'Hehir

Pick 4: GWS Giants - Sarah Howley
Pick 5: Western Bulldogs - Zipporah Fish
Pick 6: Collingwood - Poppy Scholz
Pick 7: Gold Coast Suns (9 wins) - Lucia Painter
Pick 8: West Coast Eagles (9 wins) - Emma McDonald
Pick 9: Port Adelaide (10.5 wins) - Grace Belloni
Pick 10. St Kilda - Lexi Gregor

Pick 11. Carlton - Sierra Grieves
...
Pick 14. Sydney - Georgie Brisbane

 

[Byron_Clanger]

AFLW: Bar Health and Hygiene Injury Update – Round 5

AFLW High Performance Manager Sam Batterton provides an update on West Coast’s injured players

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

This weeks injury report.

Lucy Boyd and Belinda Smith are available for selection. Sanne must've had a devil of an illness to be out 4-6 to get her conditioning back...hope all's well with her.

With Johnson being a week away we've got ourselves a trio of defenders readying for selection.

 

[jatz14]

Now they just need to come to the games! Club media need Daisy and the girls making direct appeals to fans, get it out to peoples email inboxes, on the news, on social media (the men's account, not just the AFLW account). Basically "come to the games, let's start a movement, we'll win more home games if you're there".

We lack the right venue. Mineral resources park is less than ideal, and Perth stadium is too big.

 

[AlphaSheep]

AFLW: Bar Health and Hygiene Injury Update – Round 5

AFLW High Performance Manager Sam Batterton provides an update on West Coast’s injured players

www.westcoasteagles.com.au

This weeks injury report.

Lucy Boyd and Belinda Smith are available for selection. Sanne must've had a devil of an illness to be out 4-6 to get her conditioning back...hope all's well with her.

With Johnson being a week away we've got ourselves a trio of defenders readying for selection.

So presumably that will be Lindgren out for Boyd, if we play her forward (can't think of any defenders to cut right now, and apparently Boyd has played forward before).

And Smith down back, pushes Rentsch to the midfield, where Bushby misses out.

 

[Livin1989]

So presumably that will be Lindgren out for Boyd, if we play her forward (can't think of any defenders to cut right now, and apparently Boyd has played forward before).

And Smith down back, pushes Rentsch to the midfield, where Bushby misses out.

I reckon it's about time we transition to 18 on field and a bigger list

 

[Livin1989]

We lack the right venue. Mineral resources park is less than ideal, and Perth stadium is too big.

It's silly with how wealthy the club is...... Shell out for some stands around the ground do people want to come watch the game.

 

[Ochre]

We lack the right venue. Mineral resources park is less than ideal, and Perth stadium is too big.

Half our home games were scheduled at Leedy this year (first one was moved obviously), surely that's the long term plan.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

It's silly with how wealthy the club is...... Shell out for some stands around the ground do people want to come watch the game.

The club doesn’t own Lathlain Park.

 

[Livin1989]

The club doesn’t own Lathlain Park.

And that stops them funding more development at the site in conjunction and partnership with the Vic Park council how? How do you think the redevelopment of Lathlain happened in the first place?

 

[Livin1989]

Half our home games were scheduled at Leedy this year (first one was moved obviously), surely that's the long term plan.

Leederville is great, except for the fact it is a ****ing bog

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

And that stops them funding more development at the site in conjunction and partnership with the Vic Park council how? How do you think the redevelopment of Lathlain happened in the first place?

Fair point, but I don’t know why the club would pay to spruce up someone else’s ground when there’s just been a multi million dollar redevelopment of Leederville they can use for higher drawing games.

There was only 1,600 people at Lathlain on the weekend, I don’t know what the capacity is but it felt a long way from being full.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Early season home games at the WACA next year couldn't hurt.

 

[Livin1989]

Fair point, but I don’t know why the club would pay to spruce up someone else’s ground when there’s just been a multi million dollar redevelopment of Leederville they can use for higher drawing games.

There was only 1,600 people at Lathlain on the weekend, I don’t know what the capacity is but it felt a long way from being full.

Seems like the second oval and new facilities have absolutely cucked the capacity of the grounds, I never attended before the redevelopment so maybe one of the older heads or WAFL heads can chime in here?


Leedy definitely has a larger capacity, but wouldn't we rather maintain familiarity/home ground advantage? I guess the bean counters wouldn't see the inherent value in that when another ground has the capacity already.... But the actual playing surface at Leesville sucks arse and isn't actually our home ground and therefore doesn't attribute home ground advantage

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

View attachment 2421410
Seems like the second oval and new facilities have absolutely cucked the capacity of the grounds, I never attended before the redevelopment so maybe one of the older heads or WAFL heads can chime in here?
View attachment 2421415

Leedy definitely has a larger capacity, but wouldn't we rather maintain familiarity/home ground advantage? I guess the bean counters wouldn't see the inherent value in that when another ground has the capacity already.... But the actual playing surface at Leesville sucks arse and isn't actually our home ground and therefore doesn't attribute home ground advantage

Well the highest crowd we’ve ever gotten at Lathlain for an AFLW game is 2,470 or not even half the capacity, so I don’t think they’ll be too keen to splash money on increasing that capacity just yet.

 

[Livin1989]

Well the highest crowd we’ve ever gotten at Lathlain for an AFLW game is 2,470 or not even half the capacity, so I don’t think they’ll be too keen to splash money on increasing that capacity just yet.

I'd say a part of the reason, and why I personally don't go to every hole game I'm able to... Is because it's got terrible seating. it's uncomfortable and has very little protection from the elements. A "build it and they will come" attitude is what makes sense to me. The same as we should have a proper ****ing length season to expedite the quality of the game AND improve the competitiveness. But smarter minds than me have deemed that feat as untenable I guess

 

[Monocle]

I'd say a part of the reason, and why I personally don't go to every hole game I'm able to... Is because it's got terrible seating. it's uncomfortable and has very little protection from the elements. A "build it and they will come" attitude is what makes sense to me. The same as we should have a proper ****ing length season to expedite the quality of the game AND improve the competitiveness. But smarter minds than me have deemed that feat as untenable I guess

Lathlain is a bit of a shit hole as far as facilities go.

Went out there a few years ago and it was like a blast from the past, not much from the Perth Football Club had changed since I played away games there, in the late seventies and early eighties.
The changeroom's were almost as I had remembered them
The ground it self was always good to play on and the surface was fast and you got true bounce from it.
Best oval in my day to play on way always Leederville ... worst Perth Oval big deep bogey soggy pockets when wet.
Bassendean was unique and different.

I exclude Subiaco because it always had a different budget to develop and maintain it.

I digress.

If they want the crowds to come, better either upgrade the facilities OR move the home games to Leederville.

 

[Barrybran]

Would it make sense to develop one ground for West Coast AFLW, Fremantle AFLW and WAFL?

 

[Cursedsword02]

 

[Livin1989]

**** yeah, Daggers getting her just desserts I've said it before and I'll say it again, what a heist. There will be some clubs/recruitment staff around the land absolutely spewing.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Would it make sense to develop one ground for West Coast AFLW, Fremantle AFLW and WAFL?

The State Government has spent money on doing Leederville up to be a Tier 2 AFL ground, so that would be the most obvious.

 

[Monocle]

**** yeah, Daggers getting her just desserts I've said it before and I'll say it again, what a heist. There will be some clubs/recruitment staff around the land absolutely spewing.

Footy smarts , you either have it or you don't.

She has it in spades.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Footy smarts , you either have it or you don't.

She has it in spades.

Literally. Once I saw her Vic Country/Dandenong Stingrays highlights on draft night I was like...how the hell did this girl almost not get picked up at all?!

The knock ons, the reading of the ball, the quick hands, the composure, work rate through the roof, THE ABILITY TO USE HER LEFT FOOT...if you had told me with zero knowledge of the draft that we took her with a pick in the teens I'd take your word for it. She's been outstanding. A drafting masterclass.

The only reason I could've seen teams overlooking her is she was so lightly framed. Amazing what 6 months in an AFL weight room can do.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

I know I’m going to feel stupid when I hear the answer, but who’s Ange?

 

[squashface]

I know I’m going to feel stupid when I hear the answer, but who’s Ange?

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

Rare AFLW article about the Eagles, focussed on the upcoming derby:

New or false dawn? Eagles out to break Western Derby drought

The AFLW Western Derby has been one-sided, but the Eagles are well-placed for a breakthrough victory in round five

www.afl.com.au

They name the Eagles the favourite into the game but Freo are actually paying $1.80 to win (versus $2.00 for WCE). Obviously our best chance to finally take down Freo but they will also be desperate for a win since they have more tough matches coming up (home vs Essendon, away vs Carlton, away vs Hawthorn, home vs Melbourne). I'd say that pretty much have to win this one to have any hope of playing finals.