West Coast AFLW coach Daisy Pearce praised her side’s resilience and maturity after a composed performance saw the Eagles claim a record-breaking win over the GWS Giants in round seven.

Despite a challenging lead-up that included late withdrawals due to illness, the Eagles produced their biggest winning margin yet and secured their fourth victory for the season.

“We had a bit going on in the lead up, some flu through the group and a couple of players ruled out on game day,” Pearce said.

“But I loved the maturity and resilience the team showed. For a young group to ride the uncertainty of the week and still go out and perform like that was a real sign of our growth.”

Roxy Roux and Ali Drennan were late omissions due to illness, while several others were monitored closely in the hours leading up to the match.

Pearce said the team’s ability to stay focused and execute under pressure was a credit to their preparation and mindset.

“We were confident in the depth of our squad and the way the players responded was outstanding,” Pearce said.

The Eagles set the tone early with a strong first quarter, an area that had previously been a concern.

“Slow starts have been a bit of a pattern for us,” Pearce said.

“Melbourne exposed that last week but today was a step forward. We cracked in from the beginning and set up the game with our contest work and defensive discipline.”

Pearce also acknowledged the Giants’ third-quarter surge but was pleased with her side’s response.

“We knew they’d show up, they’re a high-running team and strong in third quarters,” Pearce said.

“We probably invited some of that pressure with overuse of the handball, but once we simplified things and backed our forwards, we regained control.”

The match also marked a significant milestone for Kellie Gibson, who played her 50th game for the Eagles.

“Kellie’s always had brilliance with ball in hand, but what I’ve loved this year is her work on contest and defence. She’s contributing more consistently, and it was great to see her get some reward in her milestone game.”

With four wins now on the board, the Eagles sit on the positive side of the ledger and remain in the hunt for a maiden finals appearance.

“We’re just taking it week by week,” Pearce said.

“The players did a great job steadying after a couple of disappointing games. Now we’ll review this one, take the learnings, and look forward to Collingwood. The challenge is to keep improving in-season that’s what the good teams do.”