2020 West Coast Eagles women's season

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football team based in Perth, Western Australia. The 2020 AFL Women's season was their first year in that competition. Luke Dwyer was the team's inaugural coach, and Emma Swanson was the team's inaugural captain. West Coast finished the home-and-away season seventh out of seven on the ladder, with a win–loss record of 1–5.

West Coast Eagles
2020 season
A group of female Australian rules footballers jogging together
West Coast Eagles warming up before a pre-season match against Richmond
CoachLuke Dwyer
(1st season)
Captain(s)Emma Swanson
(1st season)
Home ground
AFLW season7th (Conference B)
Best and FairestDana Hooker
Leading goalkickerHayley Bullas (2)
Highest home attendance35,185 vs. Fremantle (Round 2)
Lowest home attendance0 vs. Gold Coast (Round 6)
Club membership3,318
2021 →

Dana Hooker was the team's best and fairest player, winning the West Coast Club Champion medal. Hayley Bullas was the team's leading goalkicker, with two goals.

Background
Emma Swanson captained West Coast in 2020.

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football team based in Perth, Western Australia. Having competed in the men's Australian Football League since 1987, 2020 was their first year in the AFL Women's competition.

Luke Dwyer was announced as the inaugural West Coast Eagles AFLW coach in December 2018. He was already a development coach for the Eagles' men's team.[1]

In December 2019, it was announced that Emma Swanson would be the team's inaugural captain, having previously served as vice-captain at Greater Western Sydney. The vice-captain was Dana Hooker, and the rest of the leadership group consisted of Maddy Collier, Courtney Guard and Alicia Janz.[2]

West Coast had 3,318 members in 2020, the most of any AFLW club.[3]

Impact of COVID-19
Main article: 2020 AFL Women's season

On 11 March 2020, COVID-19 was formally declared a pandemic. This was on the Wednesday prior to round 6. As a result, West Coast's round 6 match did not have any spectators, and their rounds 7 and 8 matches against Carlton and St Kilda were cancelled. Due to their ladder position at the end of round 6, West Coast did not proceed to the finals series.[4]

Playing list

Statistics
Playing list and statistics[5]
Player No. Games Goals Behinds Kicks Handballs Disposals Marks Tackles Notes/Milestone(s)
Mikayla Bowen 1611342862531AFLW debut (round 1)[6]
Kellie Gibson 2602347411115
Brianna Green 30———————
Courtney Guard 4600341448814
McKenzie Dowrick 551018927513
Emily Bonser 6300781532AFLW debut (round 3)[7]
Beatrice Devlyn 76002182969
Maddy Collier 851022931418
Ashlee Atkins 9611401454819
Melissa Caulfield 1010010100
Danika Pisconeri 113011061647AFLW debut (round 1)[8]
Niamh Kelly 12603342458914Rookie, AFLW debut (round 1)[9]
Emma Swanson 1361379231021327
Belinda Smith 146004323661017
Grace Kelly 1561220123285Rookie, AFLW debut (round 1)[10]
Ashton Hill 1610010100AFLW debut (round 1)[11]
Dana Hooker 1761085331181641
Imahra Cameron 196145825831521AFLW debut (round 1)[12]
Kate Bartlett 200———————
Mhicca Carter 2110024610Rookie, AFW debut (round 6)[13]
Tarnee Tester 234101081855AFLW debut (round 1)[14]
Hayley Bullas 24620351550524AFLW debut (round 1)[15]
Parris Laurie 256012034541216
Talia Radan 26600161329310
Chantella Perera 27500221335915AFLW debut (round 1)[16]
Emily McGuire 3130054937
Kate Orme 323001131422AFLW debut (round 2)[17]
Cassie Davidson 33300891739
Sophie McDonald 3550026632511AFLW debut (round 1)[18]
Alicia Janz 370———————
Rosie Deegan 0———————

Season summary

West Coast were in Conference B for the 2020 AFLW season.

Results
Regular season results[5]
Round Date Result Score Opponent Score Ground Attendance Ladder
G B T G B T
1 9 February Lost 1 5 11 Collingwood 5 8 38 Victoria Park A 6,100 7rd
2 15 February Lost 2 3 15 Fremantle 9 6 60 Optus Stadium H 35,185 7rd
3 23 February Lost 2 2 14 Greater Western Sydney 6 6 42 Blacktown ISP Oval A 1,980 7rd
4 29 February Won 4 6 30 Western Bulldogs 3 8 26 Leederville Oval H 2,455 7rd
5 8 March Lost 1 1 7 Melbourne 10 6 66 Casey Fields A 1,800 7rd
6 15 March Lost 1 2 8 Gold Coast 5 3 33 Mineral Resources Park H 0 7rd
7 21 March Cancelled Carlton Ikon Park A 0 N/A
8 29 March Cancelled St Kilda Mineral Resources Park H 0 N/A
Key
H Home game
A Away game

Ladder

Conference B
Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts Qualification
1 Fremantle 6 6 0 0 277 179 154.7 24 Finals series
2 Carlton 6 5 1 0 249 164 151.8 20
3 Melbourne 6 4 2 0 204 124 164.5 16
4 Collingwood 6 4 2 0 229 149 153.7 16
5 St Kilda 6 2 4 0 154 170 90.6 8
6 Western Bulldogs 6 1 5 0 179 246 72.8 4
7 West Coast 6 1 5 0 77 232 33.2 4
Source: womens.afl
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.

Awards
Dana Hooker won West Coast's inaugural Club Champion award

West Coast held its inaugural AFLW awards night at Mineral Resources Park on 11 August 2020. Vice-captain Dana Hooker won the Club Champion award with 26 votes. The runners-up were Emma Swanson, with 25 votes, and Ashlee Atkins and Parris Laurie with 23 votes. Imahra Cameron was the Best First Year Player, and Alicia Janz was the Best Club Person.[19]

Dana Hooker was West Coast's only player in the 40-woman initial All-Australian squad. She did not get selected for the All-Australian team.[20][21]

Awards received by West Coast players
Award Awarded by Player Result Ref.
All-Australian team AFL Women's Dana Hooker Shortlisted [20]
Club Champion West Coast Eagles Dana Hooker Won [19]
Best First Year Player Imahra Cameron Won
Best Club Person Alicia Janz Won

See also

References
  1. Black, Sarah. "AFLW: Eagles development coach to lead new team". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  2. Woodcock, Mitchell. "Midfielder Emma Swanson appointed inaugural captain of West Coast Eagles AFLW team". Perth Now. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  3. "Expansion clubs lead the way as AFLW smashes membership record". AFLW. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  4. "Coronavirus crisis and footy: The state of play". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  5. "2020 Player Stats – West Coast Eagles WFC". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  6. "Mikayla Bowen". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  7. "Emily Bonser". AustraliaFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  8. "Danika Pisconeri". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  9. "Niamh Kelly". AustraliaFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  10. "Grace Kelly". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  11. "Ashton Hill". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  12. "Imahra Cameron". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  13. "Mhicca Carter". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  14. "Tarnee Tester". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  15. "Hayley Bullas". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  16. "Chantella Perera". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  17. "Kate Orme". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  18. "Sophie McDonald". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  19. Dickinson, Rhys. "AFLW: Hooker claims inaugural Club Champion Award". West Coast Eagles. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  20. "AFLW statement: 2020 AFLW All-Australian Squad". AFLW. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  21. McGowan, Marc. "AFLW All-Australian team revealed, new wave dominates". AFLW. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
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