Eagles building to full strength ahead of AFLW opener

Perth Now

2 days ago

West Coast will unleash young gun Ella Roberts and defender Jessica Rentsch on the Western Bulldogs in Saturday night's AFLW scratch match at Mineral Resources Park.
Roberts, last season's club champion, will be joined by Rentsch in a new-look midfield, while hard-running midfielder Ali Drennan will also return from a shoulder injury.
But Roberts' captaincy partner Bella Lewis is likely to be held back until the Eagles' round one clash with Gold Coast on March 16.
Lewis, Roberts and Rentsch were all missing in last weekend's scratch derby against Fremantle.
'Rentschy had gone home for a family matter, but she played in our back line last year. She'll move up into our midfield, she's been training really well,' Eagles coach Daisy Pearce said.
'Those three will come back. Bella Lewis, more likely round one, so she won't play any practice match minutes this week.
'She's been working her way back from an ankle (injury) she got early in the pre-season, but starting to look pretty promising and exciting to have her back out on the track.'
Pearce described second-year player Rentsch as a 'young pro'. Jessica Rentsch in action last year. Credit: Will Russell / AFL Photos
'As much as what she does on the field, the way she carries herself off, she's a young pro,' Pearce said.
'She's very diligent with the way she attacks her program, treats herself like a professional athlete.
'She doesn't forget to have fun and bring the energy and have a bit of a laugh as well. So they're crucial to the environment young players like that.
'Then she goes out there and she competes like her life depends on it sometimes in the first few drills of the training session.
'But I'd prefer to see that than to have to bring it out in someone so she really sets the tone.'
Draftee defender Charlotte Riggs is another player in the mix after recovering from a broken wrist.
'She's worked on her run, has great speed, her endurance and her ability to keep going through a game has probably been something that she's worked really hard in in the off season, as have a number of our players,' Pearce said.
Pearce said the absence of first-choice mids Roberts and Lewis from the derby practice match gave the coach a look at other on-ball combinations.
'We got to see Kayley Kavanagh, who was drafted last year but missed the season with an ACL,' Pearce said.
'Lou painter we drafted with our first pick this year, Abby Bushby and Courtney Rowley, who have been on our list for a couple of years as mids, but to see those four have full opportunity and exposure against the really experienced, mature line-up that Freo put out there was great, and they competed really well and held their own.'