A new season will bring plenty of fresh faces at West Coast, with the Eagles set to unveil five club debutants for their round one clash against GWS.
As they look to build on a maiden finals appearance, the Eagles will not be holding back their newly acquired talent, with draftees Mia Russo and Jovie Skewes-Clinton to take on the Giants.
Russo was the club’s top draft pick, with the former Falcon a highly rated on-baller who can also move forward to help out in attack, while Skewes-Clinton is a mobile full forward.
“Mia is incredibly strong in the contest, highly competitive and values the role she plays for the team,” West Coast Eagles AFLW coach Daisy Pearce said.
“She’s a natural footballer and someone who grows a bit taller when she steps on the field, never taking a backward step, no matter her opponent.
“Jovie is a strong, hard-working footballer with great natural instincts for the game. She’s competitive both in the air and at ground level, and extremely coachable.”
Alongside them will be three club debutants with Ella Slocombe (North Melbourne), Keeley Skepper (Carlton) and Isabella Shannon (St Kilda) to don the blue and gold for the first time.
Skepper will be ample cover for Mikayla Western, who is set to miss the season with a knee injury, while Slocombe and Shannon will bolster their emerging midfield stocks.
“Keeley has made an immediate impact since joining us from Carlton. She’s a real footy head and super crafty, which is a reflection of her love of the game and the amount of work she puts into it,” Pearce said.
“Ella is a talented athlete who has impressed us with her consistency and professionalism since arriving at the club.
“Bel’s story is a fantastic example of persistence and resilience. She’s put together a couple of outstanding WAFLW seasons, trained on with us over the past two years and never stopped working towards another AFLW opportunity.”
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