2 weeks Ago By Craig O'Donoghue
Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) captain Emma Swanson is urging her teammate to see Saturday’s clash against Sydney as a chance build momentum for next season instead of treating it like the finish to this campaign. The 12th placed Eagles will travel to Sydney’s Henson Park for a battle with the 15th placed Swans, hoping to end a four-game losing streak. The team has won four games under new coach Daisy Pearce and can climb higher on the ladder if they win and clubs around them lose.
Swanson said there was plenty to play for. “We’ve just got to focus on the learnings from the last few weeks and put it together. We can’t control what Sydney are going to do but if we can come out and get some real progress, that’s the main thing.
We want to finish on a high and roll into next year,” Swanson said. The match is another opportunity for star youngster Ella Roberts to put her stamp on history after breaking the club’s record for disposals last weekend. Roberts had 33 touches against Geelong and needs only seven possessions to set a new season-high tally for the Eagles - albeit there has been one extra game this year.
Swanson holds the current record with 221 disposals and said Roberts had shown an amazing ability to set herself apart dominate games while remaining humble inside the club. “She’s been that good since she was seven so I don’t think she’s known any different,” Swanson said. “With fresh legs, she is unstoppable.
She’s one of the fastest players I’ve seen. When she develops more of a tank, she’s going to be unbelievable. It’s scary for everyone but us.
“She’s going from strength to strength. She works really hard on her game and that team aspect of her game is really thriving. A lot of that comes from her defensive pressure.
She’s phenomenal for our group and when she’s playing well, generally we’re playing well. She’s a remarkable young player.” The Eagles have made three changes for the clash.
Evie Gooch will return for her final game before retiring, and both Belinda Smith and Sasha Goranova have come into the team. Beth Schilling (concussion) couldn’t be considered while Octavia Di Donato and Verity Simmons were dropped. Sydney made five changes.
Ruby Sargent-Wilson, Lara Hausegger, Montana Beruldsen, Holly Cooper, Kiara Hillier came into the team at the expense of Maddy Collier, Alice Mitchell, Lisa Steane, Aimee Whelan and Paige Sheppard..
