2023 was another frustrating year for West Coast, with only two wins to show for the campaign.

But in the, offseason the Eagles pulled off one of the best coaching coups in signing league legend Daisy Pearce as head coach.

Having once again turned over a large chunk of their list, will things improve for the Eagles this time around?

SQUAD

#1 Lauren Wakfer

#2 Kellie Gibson

#3 Charlotte Thomas

#4 Ella Roberts

#5 Courtney Rowley

#6 Isabella Lewis

#7 Jessica Rentsch

#8 Sasha Goranova

#9 Roxanne Roux

#10 Alison Drennan

#11 Jess Hosking

#12 Verity Simmons

#13 Emma Swanson

#14 Belinda Smith

#15 Abbygail Bushby

#16 Zoe Wakfer

#17 Dana Hooker*

#18 Jaide Britton

#19 Amy Franklin

#20 Sanne Bakker

#21 Mikayla Western

#22 Georgie Cleaver

#23 Sarah Lakay

#24 Annabel Johnson*

#25 Kayley Kavanagh*

#26 Mackenzie Webb

#27 Jayme Harken

#28 Tess Lyons  

#29 Emily Elkington

#30 Beth Schilling

#31 Evie Gooch

#32 Matilda Sergeant*

#33 Octavia Di Donato

#35 Sophie McDonald

* inactive

CHANGES

IN: Kayley Kavanagh, Annabel Johnson, Matilda Sargent (in but straight to inactive), Jess Rentsch, Roxanne Roux, Alison Drennan, Jess Hosking, Verity Simmons, Sanne Bakker, Georgie Cleaver, Jayme Harken, Tess Lyons, Octavia Di Donato

OUT: Dana Hooker (inactive), Aimee Schmidt, Isabella Simmons, Jessica Sedunary, Aisling McCarthy, Emma Humphries, Kate Bartlett, Ella Smith, Eleanor Hartill, Shanae Davison, Krstel Petrevski

FIXTURE

Match 1: August 30 vs Richmond at Mineral Resources Park

Match 2: September 7 vs Essendon at Mineral Resources Park

Match 3: September 12 vs Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval

Match 4: September 17 vs Collingwood at Ikon Park

Match 5: September 22 vs Brisbane at Mineral Resources Park

Match 6: September 29 vs GWS at Henson Park

Match 7: October 5 vs Port Adelaide at Mineral Resources Park

Match 8: October 12 vs Hawthorn at Kinetic Stadium

Match 9: October 19 vs Fremantle at Sullivan Logistics Stadium

Match 10: October 26 vs Geelong at Mineral Resources Park

Match 11: TBC vs Sydney at Henson Park

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How will things go under coach Daisy?

After parting with Michael Prior late in 2023, West Coast pulled off quite the coaching coup in luring league legend Daisy Pearce west to become its new coach.

Things do normally take time with a new coach at the helm, but how much of a turn around can Pearce generate in her first season?

How do you solve a problem like replacing Dana Hooker?

One of West Coast’s most important players is Dana Hooker, but unfortunately for the Eagles they will not have her services this season as she is pregnant.

The question now is who will step up and provide that run off half-back and into the midfield that Hooker normally provides so well?

PLAYER TO WATCH

Jess Hosking

Hosking’s career took a bit of a turn at the end of last season, when she was delisted by Richmond but then picked up by West Coast and given another chance at an AFLW career.

It will be interesting to see how Hosking repays that faith and in what ways she is able to influence a side that is a lot younger than the previous AFLW sides she has played at.

PREDICTION

It may again be another tough year for the Eagles. Getting Pearce as their senior coach was a massive positive, but things take time to develop and with so much list turnover yet again, the squad has not had a chance to settle properly. Bottom four it may be again for West Coast.