WEST Coast has continued its much improved first season under coach Daisy Pearce, picking up a fourth win of the year with a four goal win over GWS.

After being well beaten by Brisbane in their last match, Pearce said that her side were given “some really clear things that we had to work on”.

“I thought we kind of through desperation collapsed in on the ball a lot and that enabled them to just move the ball around us and really shift, and then we just couldn’t defend from there against Brisbane. So that was a real focus this week,” Pearce said.

“And the beauty of how the Giants play with how they try and shape the ball and then use uncontested possession to attack, and they’ve been really good at that throughout the season so far. Gave us a really good opportunity to go, we need to work on this and let’s go and test it against real opposition.

“So it was pleasing that we were able to execute that. I thought we were a lot better at holding our layers and trusting the person who was putting pressure on rather than feeling like we needed three or four at the ball all the time, and it forced them to have to kick under pressure a lot more, which suited our game.”

With the Eagles back on the road again so soon after their last interstate trip, Pearce agreed that being on the road has helped bring more connection to the team.

“Yeah it’s huge,” Pearce said. “I think, now we’ve had three interstate games so far this year, and have won all three, which is a sign of their growing maturity and their connection. So they relish the opportunity to spend time together, but they keep front of mind that the biggest thing is to come and perform.

“So we see it as great opportunities to be on the road together. But I think the big growth in this team is our ability to transfer their connectedness off field to then seeing it in football acts that come through in the game, no matter whether the opposition has momentum or whether we’re on top.”

The Eagles did a bit of experimenting with the roles their rucks Tess Lyons, Sarah Lakay and Lauren Wakfer played, and Pearce was really happy with how the trio played.

“So the Giants have a really athletic ruck in Eilish O’Dowd and we thought Tess would be a great matchup for her,” Pearce said. “Tess’s power and speed and just her want to tackle and follow up is really good.

“She did a really good job at the role that we asked her to play, and then the beauty of Sarah Lakay giving us a target up forward and her accepting that she just had a different role this week was really pleasing as well. Lauren Wakfer, her ability to come into the ruck and ruck in our forward 50. So, I loved the way all three of those girls just played their part in it and got the job done.”