The West Coast Eagles head into this weekend’s showdown against Adelaide with growing confidence following back-to-back record-breaking wins.
The team will be without one of its brightest stars, Courtney Rowley, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a confirmed ACL injury.
Despite the injury setback, the Eagles are riding high after dominant performances in their last two outings, the biggest winning margins in club history.
Pearce credited the team’s emotional maturity and leadership, particularly from captains Charlie Thomas and Bella Lewis, in navigating the highs and lows of recent weeks.
“Being a young squad, to be able to manage that emotionally and then respond was really good,” Pearce said.
“Once we got our appetite for the contest and desperation to defend right, we controlled big parts of the game.”
Pearce noted the turning point came after a tough loss to Melbourne, which prompted honest internal conversations and a shift in preparation.
“We’ve come a long way, but when you play against top teams, and we’ll face another one this weekend, if you’re just a fraction off, they make you pay,” Pearce said.
“We’ve made slight adjustments in how we attack, and it’s been good to get results off the back of that.”
Defensively, the Eagles have surged to become one of the league’s more dominant teams. Pearce highlighted the connection between strong defence and attacking opportunities.
“Our best offensive looks come from good defence. When we fight hard to win the ball back in dangerous areas, it makes it easier to attack.”
This weekend’s clash with Adelaide will also mark a special milestone for two key players. Charlie Thomas will play her 50th consecutive game for the Eagles and Roxy Roux will notch her 50th AFLW game.
“Charlie’s leadership has been outstanding, especially in recent weeks,” Pearce said.
“Roxy has overcome the illness that swept through the group, it’s exciting to have her back in the team, especially as we celebrate her 50th AFLW game milestone."
As the Eagles prepare to face top tier opponent Adelaide, the team is focused on maintaining momentum and continuing to build on the growth shown in recent weeks.
“It’s a great challenge we’ve got a lot of respect for Adelaide, especially playing them on their home turf,” Pearce said.
“But we’re in a great mindset and really looking forward to it.”
