WEST COAST is in a position where the Eagles can dare to dream about finals after moving four points and 20 per cent clear inside the eight. If the blue and gold side can produce one more win in the final two games, than West Coast will be heading to the post-season for the first time in its women’s club history.

Daisy Pearce‘s Eagles all but eliminated Geelong from the same finals race following a 31-point win at Sullivan Logistics Stadium on Friday night. Pearce said the team wanted to play every match with that finals-like intensity.

“In a 12-round season and with the position we’ve put ourselves in, every game’s a final and we didn’t shy away from that and said lets embrace it,” Pearce said. “The beauty of the work that we’ve done up to this point is they’ve earned the right to be in the position that we’re either good enough to make it, or we’ll have work to do.

“You don’t fall in (to finals) and they went out there and embraced that tonight and I thought the way they went about it, committed in the contest, their pressure against a really quality opposition. “It doesn’t just bank us four points, it gives us some quality belief heading into the next two weeks.”

Pearce emphasised the Eagles’ commitment to the cause from the opening bounce, rather than having to “chase down a lead”.

“I think that’s probably been the issue with our starts over the last couple of weeks, it’s just a little bit standoffish in the beginning and feeling out the game,” she said. “I thought they addressed that tonight and were able to really step in and commit from the get-go.

“Whether that was to the ball because it was there to be won, or with their tackle pressure. “I thought that was the real difference and gave us a lot of confidence going in at quarter time, not having a lead that we had to chase down, so that was really pleasing.”

West Coast went into the match with a clear plan, and sent several players to shut down key opponents. Skipper Emma Swanson was given the job on star Geelong midfielder Georgie Prespakis and kept her to just 19 disposals and 239 metres gained, Prespakis’ second worst game of the season. While Pearce also gave Jessica Rentsch a shutdown role on forward Aishling Moloney (seven disposals, one behind), and Sanne Bakker was sent to nullify Mikayla Bowen (14 disposals).

“That’s the team we want to become and to their credit, the girls are really embracing are they take on any role, they prepare really well for it and they go out there and do whatever’s needed for the team,” Pearce said. “Credit to Swanny who has shown leadership in going down back when we’ve needed her, and then to be able to step up tonight and get after one of their better players was just really inspiring.

“All credit goes to her, and same with Sanne Bakker did some work on Mikayla Bowen who we really respect and rate, and then Jess Rentsch we talk about her most weeks but Moloney caused us some headaches last time we played them late last season and I thought Rentschy’s job on her was great.

“But she was assisted by the fact that our mids were getting it done up the ground and were able to get pressure on the ball. “It was a bit of a team effort but pleasing that you give players jobs and they really embrace them. “I think it goes to the fact that their teammates really get around them and celebrate them for it.”

Geelong coach Dan Lowther said it was a tough watch for his side, particularly in the first half around the contest, and while they did manage to “wrestle back a bit of momentum” after the main break, it was not enough to grab the four points.

“Around our contest work, I thought the Eagles midfield were just on top around that phase of the game, their first phase work which they’ve done well all year,” Lowther said. “Their contested possessions have been good for them, and I thought they were fantastic in that phase of the game today, and then they got out with a bit of speed and really potent up front.

“Put our defence under pressure, too much early in the game so that part was hard to wrestle back with a bit of momentum. “I thought our girls did in the third quarter got a bit of feel for the game, last quarter particularly, but I think our contest method around aerial balls and groundballs was probably a bit off today.”