After coming into the West Coast Eagles’ squad as an injury replacement, midfielder Ashleigh Gomes will make her debut this weekend during round nine’s clash at home against the Bulldogs.
The East Fremantle product was added to the Eagles AFLW list to cover several injuries shortly before the start of round one and has been a mainstay within the Eagles training side since.
The 25-year-old had been building to a home debut this week after being asked to travel with the side for the first time this year as an emergency replacement.
“It’s pretty overwhelming, this is a big moment for me and it’s been an incredible experience here at the Eagles,” Gomes said.
“Mick (Michael Prior) got the whole team in at the end of training and got Dana Hooker to present my guernsey which was special.
“Coming in so late into the program it was a surprise I’d get my debut and to have it at home is an honour so I'm stoked.”
Prior to entering the West Coast’s outfit for season seven of AFLW, Gomes was one of the state’s lead players captaining East Fremantle in the WAFLW competition.
Gomes led the Sharks to an unbeaten regular season and was runner-up in the Dhara Kerr Medal tying with Eagles teammate and Claremont Tiger Ella Smith.
“I haven’t stopped playing footy for quite a while this year it's a bit nuts,” she said.
“Even before Eagles I was a train-on with a number of other AFLW sides but I’ll always be grateful to West Coast for giving me my debut.
“Coming here was a big step up and I was lucky coming from the Sharks I knew teammates like Emma Swanson and Belinda Smith who have supported me getting as far as I have this year."
Getting her start late in the season, Gomes knows she has a tough challenge ahead making herself known in the last two games as a win against the Bulldogs this week may set her up nicely to finish the season in a strong position.
“It’s going to be a tough contest, but this team has nothing to lose so I think we will bring out everything we can,” she said.
“To get another win on the board will be a good way to finish the year and it will demonstrate nicely how far we've come this season.”
