WESTERN Australia’s top AFLW Under 18s State Academy members will embark on the first of its three matches in as many weeks tomorrow when they face off against Claremont in a exhibition match. The Sandgropers will face a Tigers side that has as many as 13 premiership players as a warm-up to the first AFLW Under 18 Championships match against Queensland a week later.

Western Australia will take on the Maroons at Revo Fitness Stadium on August 3, before making the trip east to face off against Vic Country at RSEA Park in Moorabbin on August 11 as part of a double-header for the carnival. The Sandgropers conclude their three-game stint later in the month on August 24 in Adelaide against reigning back-to-back champions South Australia.

East Fremantle and South Fremantle lead the league in representatives for the 34-player squad with seven apiece, with the additional number above 30 covering those players unavailable due to injury such as Subiaco’s Olivia Crane (knee).

Western Australia will be headlined by AFLW Academy members Zippy Fish, Molly O’Hehir and Claudia Wright, with a strong defensive pressure and some classy small forwards themes within the squad. Trent Cooper, Manager Female Talent Programs and Coaching Specialist at the West Australian Football Commission said he was looking forward to the upcoming month.

“This year’s squad is the best prepared we have had going into a National Championships,” Cooper said.

“We have a good mix of top end talent with our draft age players and a strong cohort of under-agers who have already proven that they can match it with older athletes.

“We have a nice mix of developing tall players to go with our versatile midfielders who are also capable of hitting the scoreboard.

“Our backline was a strength at last year’s Championships and most of them were under-agers who are returning for this campaign, so we expect that group to perform strongly again.”