Eagles keen to nail 'bullseye' under Daisy Pearce

The AFLW program hit rock bottom last year when then-coach Michael Prior said his team shouldn't have been fixtured against powerhouse Melbourne in a 10-round season given the huge gulf between the two clubs.

Prior stepped down before the season finished.

Pearce's arrival has sparked a big turnaround in attitude at West Coast, with the perennial strugglers making no secret they want to play finals this year.

"I don't see why not," co vice-captain Bella Lewis told reporters on Monday.

"We refer to an analogy of an archery board. Why are you going for the outside when you may as well just go for the middle?

"We're trying to see how successful we can be.

"If you put a limit on it, I think subconsciously you get there and give it away a little bit.

"We're not shying away from the fact that we want to win games. In the past, it's been a little bit of holding on to not losing.

"But with some of the fresh ideas and fresh faces that have come in, it's been a real chapter turning for us to know, 'why not?'

"We've got the talent, and now we've got the resources to be able to bring that talent together and be successful."

"To have a team like this come down and make that connection, can be all that it takes to inspire the next generation to see what's possible."— West Coast Eagles AFLW (@eaglesaflw) Daisy Pearce chatted to the media after our training session in Dunsborough. pic.twitter.com/aRB7jG2Zh2July 1, 2024

Lewis was glowing in her praise of Pearce, who is arguably the most influential and respected figure in the women's game,

"It's not a secret about the culture specifically that she's brought," Lewis said.

"She's got a great footy IQ brain. But the way she connects us and connects the coaching staff with us, it's a really big power tool we have."

West Coast face Fremantle on Friday and St Kilda the following week in practice matches, before kicking off their season against Richmond at Mineral Resources Park on August 30.