IT was certainly a long time coming, but West Coast coach Michael Prior was certainly a happy and relieved man after his side defeated Essendon on Sunday evening to pick up its second win of 2023.

“A great win. How am I feeling? I’m pretty happy,” Prior said post match.

“We set out to deliver on a few things today. We trained during the week and we thought could make a difference in our game within a week, and that’s exactly what happened for us. So credit to the group, they took it on board and delivered for us around the contest today. I thought they were really good.”

Prior was particularly pleased with how his team performed under the pressure of late in the game.

“It was really pleasing what we asked for upstairs they delivered straight away,” he said. “I think there was still over 10 minutes to go and if Essendon had kicked one more goal they were in front.

“For us to hold on for a 10 minute period and we did get the ball forward in that 10 minute period, but in the last five minutes when we really needed to be strong around the footy and hold the ball in and not fling it out. I thought our girls heard the message at three quarter time and delivered on that.”

After a disastrous game the previous week against Melbourne, Prior said that the focus heading into the game on the weekend was around the clearances.

“I think everything starts with how you go around the contest and whether you’re winning clearance, and we’re down the bottom end for clearance,” he said. “To come out on top today in that aspect and the way the girls fought to lock that ball in especially in the last quarter when the game was on the line. I thought in and around the footy, we went to a new level today which is really pleasing.”

He also had particular praise for Ella Roberts, who again starred on the weekend.

“I see Ella as someone who’s really developing, as a forward or a mid,” he said. “I still think she’s got a little way to go, but she’s a special player and I love what she does for our footy club, whether she’s playing mid or forward and she had an impact today as well.”