Back-to-back club champion Emma Swanson has retained the captaincy for the fifth-straight season, continuing to lead a promising, young West Coast side for 2023.
The star midfielder comes off another standout year in 2022, averaging 21.5 disposals and 5.5 clearances per game, her talent and leadership a true inspiration for her teammates.
In an exciting changing of the guard, Swanson will be supported by newly appointed vice-captain Bella Lewis.
Lewis is one of the Eagles’ most highly decorated talents and has been a key contributor on and off the field during her three years with the club.
In 2021, Lewis made Eagles club history by being awarded the Club Champion and Best First Year Player in the same season.
This season’s supporting leadership group includes experienced AFLW veteran Dana Hooker, former Adelaide premiership player Jess Sedunary and classy midfielder Aisling McCarthy.
Coach Michael Prior said he’s excited to get to work with the leadership group for the upcoming season.
“I like the fact that we’ve added two more to the leadership group and it’s now a group of five, and I like the two new players we’ve got into the group, one with a lot of experience with Sedge (Jess Sedunary) and the younger player in Bella Lewis,” Prior said.
“I’m really pleased for Bella as she has shown a thirst for wanting to get better and wanting to improve as a leader, so for her peers to vote her in, it’s a huge step forward for her and us as a club.
“I think all the leaders in our leadership group have different qualities, Emma Swanson really leads both on and off the field, and leads by example, I like the way she leads from the front, her actions speak louder than words at times.
“Sedge and Aish McCarthy take a lot of interest in all the players, checking in on them, sending them messages and doing those little things, so from that point of view, it’s really impressive and I’m really happy to have them as part of our group.
“Hooks (Dana Hooker), for one of our more experienced players, she definitely sets the standard out on the track, she’s come back and won our two-kilometre time trial twice, so continuing to lead by example after eight years in the competition is outstanding for our group and is someone we can really follow.”
