THE NARRM OFFENSIVE by Meggs

In sunny and hot summery conditions, the rampaging Narrm in their magnificent Indigenous guernseys, turned it on in the second half while keeping the low flying Eagles scoreless to run away with a dominating 70-point win.

The Dees have scored ten or more goals in every game this year except in the loss to Adelaide. With 527 Points for, they are up 59% on last year and 85% up on their 7-season average.  

The Narrm Offensive is in full flight.

Alyssa Bannan starred with 10 score involvements, a career-best 5 goals and picked up the maximum Coaches Votes too.

Eden Zanker leads the AFLW goalkicking table with 17, Kate Hore 16 and Bannan is now in 7th position with 12 goals for the year.  Lots of fire power.

Newcomer Aimee Mackin kicked her first goal in AFLW and just looks dangerous out there with her pace, poise and vision.  And you know she’s just gonna get better.

Younger sister, Blaithin, has rapidly become one of our Narrm stars with her 2-way running, natural footy instincts, and ability to break tackles.  

When Tyla Hanks went off in the first quarter we were worried but thankfully she played the game out well earning 2 coaches votes. Others to earn votes were Blaithin Mackin (4), Liv Purcell (4), Kate Hore (2), Eliza West (3) and Banno (10).

Also, it was good to see some of the last week’s quieter performers emerge.  

Westy was prolific, Casey Sherriff got creative, and Libby Birch proved again that she likes playing against West Coast.

In terms of the game:

Q1 The Eagles started with intensity, and we did too. Hanks is tackled in the forward pocket, appears hurt and heads off.  We hope she’s okay.

Young Georgia Campbell doing well.  Improving each week. Casey Sherriff using her smarts gets a handball to the electric Bannan for the first goal.

The uber popular Rhi Watt is now out there now. Meggs was really impressed by her footy skills.

Gillard gives away a 50-metre penalty which results in the Eagles first goal.

More electricity and skill from Bannan as she breaks away for her second. Following one of Liv Purcell’s eight inside 50s for the day, Bannan marks and kicks her third.  She’s on fire.

The Mackin sisters are in everything today and Aimee kicks her first ever goal in AFLW from a ball up just outside the goal square.  

It’s a good start for Narrm.

¼ time: Dees 4.1.15 Eagles 1.0.6

Q2 The Eagles have their best quarter, kicking one goal and keeping Narrm goalless.

A quarter highlight for Meggs was Heathy’s tackle on the members wing wrapping up Davison. Don’t mess with our Taekwondo champion.

½ time: Dees 4.3.27 Eagles 2.0.12

During the break it’s nice to hear from former Demon, Krstel Petrevski, who speaks about her Eagles indigenous jumper design.

Q3 Bannan hits up Zanker who goes back and slots her first goal. The Eagles defensive switch comes unstuck and Hore taps it to Bannon for her fourth goal.  We are well on top now.

Our next goal is the quarter highlight with all our Irish contingent involved. Goldie to Blaithin to Aimee who uses her deadly left boot from the boundary to hit up Casey Sherriff directly in front for our seventh goal.  

Will Schofield, the ex Eagles player and commentator, is effusive in his praise for Aimee.

Aimee involved in the next goal too with an assist to Kate Hore.

¾ time: Dees 8.10.58 Eagles 2.0.12

Q4 Lily Mithen kicks to Kate Hore, surprise surprise, and Kate slots the first goal of the quarter.

Bannan misses a running goal opportunity but it was a thrilling point to watch.  We then realise it’s 7-point play as the Eagles fail to clear the ball and Zanker marks and goals for her second.  

Bannan then marks in front and achieving a career best 5 goals. With less than 30 seconds left, Banno marks and cramps up.  Kate Hore takes the shot but hits the post.  

The siren sounds and an indigenous language version of it’s a grand old flag is played on the public address system.  A convincing 70-point win.

Coaches and next week

Narrm Coach Mick Stinear was really pleased with the energy of the inclusions of Rhi Watt, Maeve Chaplin, Charlotte Wilson and Georgia Campbell.  Last week our high forwards didn’t adjust enough to Adelaide’s pressure.  It was good to see improvement this week. Banno was brilliant.  

He praised the high-performance team for their work in building the fitness and strength of our team who embraced the hot conditions better than the Eagles.

Eagles coach Michael Prior was unhappy with the AFL for scheduling (in a 10-week 18-team competition), the 2022 premiers against his 2022 Wooden Spooners.  He is later forced to backtrack these comments.

He felt they were in at half-time and thought Ella Roberts and Charlie Thomas were outstanding.

Next week they take on the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos at our second home ground, Ikon Park, on Saturday evening 21 October 23 at 7:15pm.  

What an epic battle this will be! Hope you’re getting a ticket.

NARRM 4.1.25 4.3.27 8.10.58 11.16.82

WEST COAST EAGLES 1.0.6 2.0.12 2.0.12 2.0.12

GOALS

NARRM Bannan 5 Hore Zanker 2 A Mackin  Sherriff

WEST COAST EAGLES Gibson Rowley 

BEST 

NARRM  Bannan Hore Purcell Watt Hanks B Mackin

WEST COAST EAGLES Thomas Roberts Gooch Hooker Lewis

CHANGES 

NARRM Nil 

WEST COAST EAGLES Sarah Lakay replaced in selected side by Beth Schilling


INJURIES 

NARRM Nil 

WEST COAST EAGLES Nil

REPORTS 

NARRM Nil

WEST COAST EAGLES Nil

UMPIRES Hughes Laycock Wharton

CROWD 1,232 at Mineral Resources Park Mineral Resources Park