FREMANTLE is through to the second week of this year’s AFLW Finals series after defeating Essendon yesterday afternoon, 5.6 (36) to 4.2 (26). Reflecting post-match, Fremantle coach Lisa Webb said she felt “so proud”.

“They never stop amazing me to be honest,” Webb said.

“They’re an incredible bunch. “I know I say it all the time, but once again, they just continue to show up. Losing Braz is never ideal, but just one of those ones that we keep working through and they just keep getting it done. So yeah, I just love this group.”

Webb also confessed that she was feeling the nerves in the last term.

“I was pretty nervous up in the box as per usual with these tight games,” Webb confessed.

“You’d think I’m used to them, but I’m not. “I was really composed with my messaging to the playing group at three quarter time. I thought it was really important that we just made better decisions with ball in hand. I thought, especially early on, we were a bit panicky and a bit chaotic at times, and we just didn’t make the most of our opportunities, and Essendon clearly did.

“So, just being a bit more careful, scanning when we could have a look, especially if we had a wing out, and then with our ball entries, just making sure that we were more advantage side to what we needed to do.”

Webb also praised her side’s ability to play consistent football this season, which came in clutch in the last quarter.

“I think the most pleasing thing this year is playing consistent football,” Webb said.  

“We knew what situation we could be in and we knew what we needed to do, and so that’s something that we’ve been working on for two years now. So this circumstance in the last quarter, when we obviously had to kick with the breeze, we knew it wasn’t going to happen.”

She also praised the efforts of ruck Mim Strom, describing her as “brilliant” after the rising talent broke her own all-time individual hitouts in a match with 56..

“Sometimes you kind of run out of words for her,” Webb said.

“She’s as humble as they come. Before the game, you just keep her composed, but you really don’t need to because she’s got that look in her eyes. “She’s extremely focused on what she needs to do.

“She’s watching centre bounces from the opposition and then she’s trying to obviously execute her best game as well. “So we have just got to continue to look after her because she obviously gets a lot of attention and she’s really important for us.”