AFLW West Coast Womens 2025

[Byron_Clanger]

The juxtaposition of this one is pretty ****ing good though

View attachment 2499671

Really like that pic as well. Being a Dalgleish enjoyer since the moment we drafted her I've been stoked with how well she's adapted to the game as someone who everyone else had pegged as a 'long term prospect'

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Eliza's Codesports article on new Eagle Ella Slocombe

https://archive.md/08auh

 

[Livin1989]

Eliza's Codesports article on new Eagle Ella Slocombe

https://archive.md/08auh

Proof that the daisy effect is in play already.... Seeing what she's done with our program in such a small amount of time will only serve to help more follow this pathway back home and to rise with the young talented group we've got developing

 

[Ilkka Sinisalo]

Yep, after several full game rewatches I am BULLISH on a Charlotte Riggs breakout year next season... She was a millimeter off producing a rising star contending season IMO.

Also, how clean Rowley was in the middle has gone mostly under the radar. Her importance in our wins over Saints and Port is now very apparent to me. Hopefully our new recruits can fill that void while she rehabs that ACL.

I'm curious though, what is everybody else's hopes and/or predictions for season 2026?

I feel like this is very difficult to answer without knowing the fixture because there are going to be an upper echelon of clubs who will be better than us and if we get all of them on our schedule we may not make finals, based purely on the short AFLW season and the potential for a club’s percentage to get wrecked by being stomped by North, Brisbane, etc.

I think it will be a very interesting season regardless with a still very young list and all of the new recruits being quite young (two draftees, a second year player, a third year player with one AFLW match, and a fifth year player). A big watch point for me is Daisy, who is out of contract at the end of the season. No doubt we will want to keep her but I would also assume that some Vic clubs will be trying to lure her home.

 

[AlphaSheep]

Yep, after several full game rewatches I am BULLISH on a Charlotte Riggs breakout year next season... She was a millimeter off producing a rising star contending season IMO.

Also, how clean Rowley was in the middle has gone mostly under the radar. Her importance in our wins over Saints and Port is now very apparent to me. Hopefully our new recruits can fill that void while she rehabs that ACL.

I'm curious though, what is everybody else's hopes and/or predictions for season 2026?

It's going to be a real contest for spots in the midfield once Rowls gets healthy again, now we've got Russo in, and Painter/Rentsch looking for midfield time. And that's what every good club needs - good players competing for spots. Especially in the midfield, because the midfield is far and away the most important line in women's footy, even more than it is in the men's.

Next year, I want to see a) individual improvements in the young list, and all those kids hitting personal bests, etc. And b) a big reduction in the gap between our best players and our worst players.

As a result of a and b, I'd like to see c) an improvement in skills under pressure, clean hands at the contest, targets hit, etc. Our physical pressure is right up there under Daisy, but our ball skills need to catch up.

So long as I see all those things, I'll be happy with less wins, more wins, the same number of wins - the fixture's going to be much tougher, as others have said. I guess you could add d) when we come up against the big teams they'll throw us up against next year, we have to look like we belong out there, and are a serious chance.

Get all those right, and I'll be happy with whatever win/loss results come with it.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Yep, after several full game rewatches I am BULLISH on a Charlotte Riggs breakout year next season... She was a millimeter off producing a rising star contending season IMO.

Also, how clean Rowley was in the middle has gone mostly under the radar. Her importance in our wins over Saints and Port is now very apparent to me. Hopefully our new recruits can fill that void while she rehabs that ACL.

I'm curious though, what is everybody else's hopes and/or predictions for season 2026?

Oh abso-f*cking-lutely. A shame she fractured her wrist basically a month before the season. Watching her she always seemed in the contest, at every ball, but was either getting a wrong bounce when it got to her or would attempt a clunk and would just catch half a bobble and it'd come out.

Love her size and physique, hope we can lock her up long term some time next year.

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Ella Slocombe...the West Coast Eagles...it's the first time I've said that..

 

[squashface]

Your club's best 21: Who's in, who's out, who's new

Gemma Bastiani has compiled her predicted starting 21 for each team ahead of the 2026 season

www.afl.com.au

There's more a sense of consolidation about the Eagles' team in 2026 than it is the change recent years have brought. ACL pair Mikayla Western and Courtney Rowley are certain inclusions when available, likely at the expense of Keeley Skepper and Mia Russo respectively, but midfield trades Ella Slocombe and Lily Paterson seem solid additions straight away. Slocombe adds speed through the contest, with the capability to rotate forward, while Paterson is a physical addition who will ideally create space for star Ella Roberts to do her thing. Lucia Painter and Bella Lewis will both make the forward line their home, while also pinch hitting on the ball, and Abbygail Bushby adds even more depth to that midfield mix. Amy Franklin played progressively more minutes on the wing in the absence of retiree Dana Hooker in 2025, and is well-placed to continue such a role, and the exponential improvement of Zoe Wakfer in a key defensive role makes Beth Schilling's fight to return from injury a little more difficult.

B: Georgie Cleaver, Zoe Wakfer
HB: Jess Rentsch, Charlie Thomas, Emma Swanson
C: Jaide Britton, Ella Slocombe, Amy Franklin
HF: Kellie Gibson, Lucia Painter, Bella Lewis
F: Lauren Wakfer, Charlotte Riggs
Foll: Sarah Lakay, Ella Roberts, Lily Paterson
I/C: Kayla Dalgleish, Roxy Roux, Abbygail Bushby, Mia Russo, Keeley Skepper


Depth: Liz McGrath, Sophie McDonald, Alison Drennan, Belinda Smith, Beth Schilling, Jovie Skewes-Clinton, Mikayla Western, Courtney Rowley, Sanne Bakker

Not sure I agree with some of that - Franklin on a wing for one.

 

[Livin1989]

Your club's best 21: Who's in, who's out, who's new

Gemma Bastiani has compiled her predicted starting 21 for each team ahead of the 2026 season

www.afl.com.au

Not sure I agree with some of that - Franklin on a wing for one.

I don't agree with most of it..... I actually think it's a blessing in disguise not having Western for the season, blood a newbie that has more latent ability that might have been not selected for lack of experience. Frankie on a wing? No. Slocombe on a wing? Absolutely.

I want Painter on ball more this coming season, however, given out limited forward options currently I'd imagine Pearce will continue to throw all of Roberts, Lewis and Painter Forward through there combined with midfield minutes. Hopefully Skepper can help out as a small with daggers and help to keep Lewis in the guts. Will be interesting to see how long it takes Russo to break the side and get up to speed.

Conversely in the backline I'm hoping Jovie can begin to fulfill our utility defender off half back. She's got great attributes to be that kind of player but I'm sure Rentsch will still be utilised there when particularly crafty forwards need to be nullified. I want her in the guts or a wing ideally.

What we really need is premium KPF.... Is it too early to start casting our eyes to the next draft?! Hellll no. I want this one as she fill 2 positional needs for us. **** and a tall KPF.

 

[jatz14]

Your club's best 21: Who's in, who's out, who's new

Gemma Bastiani has compiled her predicted starting 21 for each team ahead of the 2026 season

www.afl.com.au

Not sure I agree with some of that - Franklin on a wing for one.

Yes, it makes sense. Put someone who's one key attribute is the ability to take a mark on a hard lead, but has the nimbleness and turning circle of a truck, and put her in the midfield, take midfielder, put her at CHF.

 

[squashface]

Yes, it makes sense. Put someone who's one key attribute is the ability to take a mark on a hard lead, but has the nimbleness and turning circle of a truck, and put her in the midfield, take midfielder, put her at CHF.

Yeah not sure whoever wrote that has watched too many Eagles games

 

[Byron_Clanger]

Yes, it makes sense. Put someone who's one key attribute is the ability to take a mark on a hard lead, but has the nimbleness and turning circle of a truck, and put her in the midfield, take midfielder, put her at CHF.

The unfortunate part of Painter being our leading goal kicker last year has pretty much sealed her fate for now in the 50 as the rotation for Ella and whoever else in the middle. Riggsy should be playing CHF who roams the ground, crashes packs and the marking option on the wings from kick ins.

It should be a boom or bust year for Franklin. Will be her sixth season, 23 years old, 38 games, got her chain snatched by Painter and kicked less goals last season even though she played 4 more games.

 

[Biggie]

lol at Russo being replaced by Western, shit she’s far better than Slocombe as well.

Ahaha **** me sideways

Also we will miss Cara I reckon - she’ll go top 5.

Keen to see if she’s put on muscle since end of season, haven’t seen her before Xmas with her state duties.

Will be the face of whatever footy club she ends up at,

 

[Livin1989]

lol at Russo being replaced by Western, shit she’s far better than Slocombe as well.

Ahaha **** me sideways

Also we will miss Cara I reckon - she’ll go top 5.

Keen to see if she’s put on muscle since end of season, haven’t seen her before Xmas with her state duties.

Will be the face of whatever footy club she ends up at,

I'm gonna start disseminating rumours that she's a flight risk and won't leave the state.

 

[Livin1989]

I'm gonna start disseminating rumours that she's a flight risk and won't leave the state.

In fact I think it is your moral obligation to indoctrinate the little powerhouse that West Perth has become, Biggie I swear as SOON AS the draft went National all the good WA talent came in the subsequent years

 

[FatPizza]

In fact I think it is your moral obligation to indoctrinate the little powerhouse that West Perth has become, Biggie I swear as SOON AS the draft went National all the good WA talent came in the subsequent years

Apart from you know, Ella Roberts.

 

[AlphaSheep]

lol at Russo being replaced by Western, shit she’s far better than Slocombe as well.

Ahaha **** me sideways

Also we will miss Cara I reckon - she’ll go top 5.

Keen to see if she’s put on muscle since end of season, haven’t seen her before Xmas with her state duties.

Will be the face of whatever footy club she ends up at,

After all the endless talking Bastiani does over the U18 broadcasts, blabbering over live action so the main commentator can't call the play, this is the best she comes up with?

Western may not play another game. After the ACL she's going to have to get past Russo, Rowley, Skepper and Slocombe, all are a threat from wing to small forward. Western's way behind all of them. Bushby too - plays a different role, but the way Daisy just lets players find their own spots, any of the new smalls could end up pushing her aside.

I'd expect Russo to be starting pretty early in her first season. WHERE she'll be starting, who knows, but she's too good for the bench, even in her first year. She's Painter/Rentsch quality, at least.

Getting real crowded in the middle - one thing Bastiani might have right is Lewis getting squeezed out of the midfield. Good player, but not the skills of Russo... probably not of Rowley, either. She's tougher than Rowls though. We'll see.

Patterson starting on the ball? Please. I'm a fan of Lilly, I've no confidence she'll make it, but I'm a fan anyway, she's made a great journey to get this far. But she's done nothing to suggest she can start ahead of Russo, Slocombe, etc.

Franklin on the wing? She's fast enough, but she's not agile enough. Not everyone tall and quick is Molly O'Hehir.

As for the draft -- Cara looks like the pick of the West Australians. And we do kinda need a ruck upgrade. But yeah -- unless we finish bottom of the ladder again, out of reach next year.

 

[AlphaSheep]

U18s and U16s schedules should be announced soon. WA's gonna suck this year, only three real big top-age prospects that I can see. But some of the bottom agers are terrific, 2027/28 should be huge for WA players in the draft.