AFLW: West Coast Eagles back on track after third consecutive win over battling Essendon Bombers

After a winless start to 2026, West Coast’s season is back on track after they made it a hat-trick of victories, defeating Essendon by 10 points at Windy Hill Oval on Friday.

The Eagles kicked four goals to none in the second term, in what ended up being the difference as they survived a late scare against the struggling Bombers in the 6.9 (45) to 5.5 (35) win.

Essendon’s inaccurate final term proved costly, kicking 2.7 to the Eagles’ one behind as they failed to convert in a dominant patch.

After yet another best-on-ground performance, Ella Roberts said despite their disappointing fourth quarter, she was just happy to get the four points.

“They really turned it on in that last quarter. They had a lot of territory; we couldn’t really get it out of their forward half,” she told Fox Footy post-game.

“But we managed to do what we could do, and we got the four points, and I’m happy with that.”

It was a mouthwatering matchup in the middle with two of the AFLW’S best going head-to-head in Maddy Prespakis and Roberts.

Celebrating her 50th game, the midfielder (31 disposals, nine tackles and four clearances) made multiple game-saving run-down tackles late in the last quarter as the Bombers were storming home.

The 21-year-old said it was a special feeling to notch the milestone.

“It’s pretty special; it kind of just came out of nowhere, but I’ve kind of made it a big deal this week. I’ve been telling everyone it’s my 50th, and everyone’s really got around me,” she said.

“So pretty proud of myself, and it’s pretty special.”

Prespakis (27 touches) was far and away the best player on the ground in the opening term before combining with captain Bonnie Toogood (16 touches, six marks and one goal) as they put their side on their back in the last quarter.

Amy Franklin (13 touches, 1.3 and six marks) would be the beneficiary of Roberts’ dominance in the midfield, the 23-year-old threatened to truly tear the game apart, taking some quality contested clunks up forward, but her inaccuracy would let her down.

Jaide Britton (13 touches, two goals) was also one of the best for the visitors, booting two crucial goals in the first half before going off in the hands of the trainers after a collision halfway through the final quarter with a bad corky.

After the Bombers had much of the play in the opening term, the Eagles would take control in the second quarter, with Abby Bushby, Sarah Lakay and Lauren Wafker all finding the big sticks before Britton slotted her second of the match on the death of half time.

On return from injury, Bushby slotted a nice goal before hitting a Michael Jackson-esque celebration, much to the enjoyment of her teammates.

Despite their dominance, the Eagles would leave some opportunities out there with a few bad misses and dropped marks, leaving the door ajar for the home side.

The Bombers would threaten for the most miraculous comeback, turning up the heat against an Eagles side who looked like they’d simply stopped.

However, inaccuracy hurt their hopes of a stunning fightback, kicking six behinds to open the last quarter before finally finding the big sticks through Sophie Van De Heuvel.

When Roberts made back-to-back chase-down tackles in the final five minutes of the last quarter, it put a halt to the Bombers’ chances.

SCOREBOARD

WEST COAST EAGLES 1.0, 5.5, 6.8, 6.9 (45)

ESSENDON 1.3, 1.4, 2.4, 4.11 (35)

GOALS: WEST COAST: J Britton 2 A Bushby L Wafker S Lakay A Franklin ESSENDON: S Cain S Van De Heuvel B Toogood S Wales

BEST: WEST COAST: E Roberts B Lewis J Britton C Riggs E Swanson A Franklin ESSENDON: M Prespakis B Toogood S Wales G Gee S Cain M Gay

INJURIES: ESSENDON: Z Prowse (foot) WEST COAST: J Britton (corky)

UMPIRES: - J Kerr M Willcox K Bayre CROWD: TBC at Windy Hill