Exciting small forward Emily Elkington will make her West Coast Eagles debut on Sunday against Fremantle in the round one AFLW RAC Derby.

The tough teenage talent packs a punch in the contest, averaging nine tackles a game at the AFLW under-18 Championships, and was arguably the best kick in the 2022 AFLW draft crop. 

Eagles coach Michael Prior said Elkington has stepped into the small forward role nicely.

“’Elks’ came to us last year through the draft and she was still at school,” Prior said.

“With her study commitments, she struggled at times to fully commit to the program, which is fine because school was really important to her, and we allowed her the time, but for her to play last year was challenging.

“This year, she’s free of those commitments, she hasn’t missed any pre-season and she’s really nailed that small forward role.

“She played in our intraclub games, and against Fremantle and Essendon, and acquitted herself really well, so she’s earnt her spot on the team and we’re excited about what she will bring on the weekend.”

Hailing from Claremont Football Club, the 19-year-old holds the attributes to make her a strong asset for a developing Eagles team.

“She’s really clean at ground level, a great tackler and she’s got some speed,” Prior said.

“All those things rolled into one is exactly what you want from a small forward and we look forward to her delivering on game day for us.”

The Eagles take on the Dockers in the AFLW RAC Derby season-opener on Sunday, September 3 at Fremantle Oval.