Dear Members,
Ahead of an exciting finale to our AFLW season, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your wonderful support and commitment to our Club.
I’ve been incredibly proud of the West Coast Eagles community for backing our teams as passionately as ever throughout 2025. Beginning with our Fan Day in February, you have shown up and been with us every step of the way.
Now, leading into our last match of the AFLW home and away season in Leederville tomorrow night, we are just one win away from playing finals for the first time.
The equation is simple – beat Carlton and we will qualify for finals.
As our coach Daisy Pearce says, being in contention at this stage of the season has been our ambition since entering the AFLW competition in 2020 and our players, coaches and staff have put in a huge amount of hard work to reach this point.
Led by co-captains Bella Lewis and Charlie Thomas, our team has played a dynamic, selfless and determined brand of football which has been inspiring to watch.
At our Friday night game in Leederville two weeks ago the atmosphere created by you – our members and fans – lifted our players in their victory over Geelong.
Tomorrow evening, I encourage you to come along to Sullivan Logistics Stadium, bring your friends and family, wear your blue and gold, be loud and support our team as they strive to make history from 6.15pm or, if you can’t make it, cheer on our team from wherever you are.
To Daisy and the players, you have done us proud all season and we are right behind you.
For our AFL Football Department, it has been a busy period and we have been delighted to welcome two-time premiership player Brandon Starcevich back home to WA and add key defender Tylar Young from Richmond during the Trade Period.
Off the field, we have secured Mitch Duncan and Sam Radford to join Andrew McQualter’s team, while also welcoming Phil Merriman to head our High Performance team. They are all high calibre individuals who will drive our team forward.
Planning is well underway for our players’ return to pre-season training in the coming weeks and it’s an exciting time of year with the national draft fast approaching.
Holding the first two selections is significant for our Club, and our recruiting and list management team are doing a power of work to maximise the opportunity to continue reshaping our developing playing list.
It is always a wonderful moment as players realise their dreams and we can’t wait to welcome more elite young talent and their families to West Coast.
I wanted to also take this opportunity to thank our players and staff who took part in Telethon recently and represented themselves and the Club so well.
It is a privilege to be involved with Telethon, and the West Coast Eagles are proud to be partnered with Telethon to play our part improving the lives of sick, vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Western Australia.
On behalf of the Club, I wish to congratulate everyone involved in making Telethon so successful, raising an astonishing $90,160,275, and the WA community for wholeheartedly supporting such an important cause.
Our Wheelchair football team was in action over Telethon weekend and, after winning both matches, they’re undefeated on top of the ladder with a 7-0 record.
It is a terrific start to our premiership defence, and we wish the team all the best as they chase back-to-back flags, and congratulations to our captain Ben Green for leading the WA team in the 2025 AFL Open Wheelchair championships which conclude today.
Lastly, bravo to Dana Hooker on a remarkable AFLW career.
An inaugural Eagle and Club Champion, Dana has paved the way as a role model and been an inspiration for so many young footballers in our community.
We wish Dana and her family every success in retirement – hopefully after a fitting send-off as part of our maiden finals campaign.
Go Eagles!
Elizabeth Gaines
Chair
