SPIRIT TO THE END

The West Coast Eagles’ struggle with inconsistency seems to have turned on its head since their first game of the season when they came onto the pitch in a fury only to fizzle out after the first quarter.

Today, it was the final term that saw a sudden upsurge in momentum and energy, which resulted in a smattering of late points. This resilience is proving to be a necessary attribute for the new team as they struggle to prove themselves in the AFLW.

Luke Dwyer says that the team’s fighting spirit is ‘encouraging, but not surprising’, as he knows that they are continuing to work and improve every week.

This durability is evident in no-one more than star Dana Hooker, who celebrated her milestone of 25 AFLW games by bringing persistent courage to her brand of footy. This was dampened however, in the final five minutes of the game, by an accidental kick to the throat that saw her escorted off the field. It has been reported that this isn’t expected to have caused lasting injury.