It's fair to say it was a season to forget for the Eagles, struggling through ten rounds for just one win.

Finishing in 14th place and earning their maiden wooden spoon, West Coast had little to celebrate, spending much of the season on the road due to border closures in Western Australia. Captain Emma Swanson was a shining light, winning her first best and fairest for the club after a strong season, while Evie Gooch flourished at her new club.

Conceding 116 more points than 13th placed St Kilda, the Eagles were on the receiving end of several heavy losses, culminating with a 74-point loss to Brisbane.

Season Finish: 14th
Record:ย 1-9

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 05: The Eagles huddle up during the 2022 AFLW Round 09 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium on March 5, 2022 In Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

2022 Season snapshot

It was a lacklustre season for the Eagles, finishing squarely on the bottom of the ladder as the season ran its course. Wins were hard to come by, with their singular victory coming against the struggling Saints.

That isn't to say that the Eagles didn't have opportunities to improve their win-loss tally though, with their Round 5 match against Geelong ending in a close three-point loss. Though as the season drew to a close West Coast seemed to lose that brief competitive edge, losing the last three games of the season by a combined 173 points.

The Eagles were forced on the road for much of the season due to border uncertainty around the country, which surely played into their poor on-field results, while a COVID outbreak within the Eagles camp in the early stages of the season left the side short-handed.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 30: Courtney Guard and Emma Swanson of the Eagles walk from the field after being defeated during the round one AFLW match between the West Coast Eagles and the Adelaide Crows at Mineral Resources Park on January 30, 2021 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Star player:ย Emma Swanson

The Eagles skipper was a shining light this season. Swanson played nine games in a heavily COVID disrupted season and performed impressively across the board, collecting 20+ disposals in all but two games across the ten round season.

Swanson starred in West Coast's narrow loss in Round 5 against the Cats, collecting 27 disposals, eight clearances and three tackles, while the 27-year-old also impressed during the Eagles' Round 7 outing against Richmond, amassing 22 disposals, five clearances and two goals.

The inspirational skipper was rewarded for her efforts throughout the year, claiming the best and fairest award with 50 votes. The runner up, Dana Hooker, finished with 26.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 29: Dana Hooker and Emma Swanson of the Eagles celebrate the win during the 2020 AFLW Round 04 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Western Bulldogs at Leederville Oval on February 29, 2020 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Breakout player:ย Evie Gooch

Gooch transformed from a fringe player at Fremantle to a fourth-placed finish in the Eagles' best and fairest in the span of a season, playing nine games to do so. After making the move across town last year, Gooch seemed to revel in her new role in the Eagles defence, averaging 11.2 disposals and 1.1 marks per game in her career-best season.

In an under-fire Eagles backline (who conceded 517 points across the season), Gooch seemed to provide some much-needed leadership and stability, an invaluable thing for a struggling team.

Positives

Glimpses of improvement

If West Coast can take something out of this season, it's that there were some glimpses of improvement. Round 5 against Geelong, who ended the season 12th, showed that they do have the ability to push teams when their stars, like Swanson, are at their best. Incredibly, though expected in a season filled with COVID disruptions, all 30 players on the Eagles' list did spend some time in the side, an invaluable experience for a team surely hoping to climb up the ladder next season.

In season number three, the Eagles are still developing, but one positive to take into next season is the addition of four new teams. With several leading clubs being poached for talent heading into season seven, the Eagles may find themselves on more equal ground. Should some of their inconsistencies and flaws remain, they can at least find solace in collecting a few more wins against new teams who may be struggling to lift themselves from the lower end of the ladder.

Negatives

Inconsistency and defenceย 

West Coast had their moments, a two-point win over the Saints and a close loss to the Cats, but were victims of their own inconsistency. The Eagles often started slow, finding themselves scoreless for the first quarter of footy in six of their ten games. When they did get going, the Eagles struggled to get their hands on the ball or kick a competitive score, scoring just 222 points throughout 2022.

In the second half of the season, the Eagles seemingly couldn't stop their opposition from scoring. The lowest moment of the season came in the form of a 74-point loss to Brisbane, with the Lions earning the record for the highest ever AFLW score after kicking 15.8 (98). The last three rounds, in particular, left plenty to be desired, with the Eagles managing just eight points on the board during their Round 9 loss to the Bulldogs.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 22: Isabella Lewis of the Eagles in action during the 2022 AFLW Round 03 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Adelaide Crows at the Swinburne Centre on January 22, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Season Grade: Fย 

While the Eagles showed glimpses of improvement, ultimately their season never got off the ground. A singular win in a ten-round season is hard to swallow, even when considering the extended road trips and Covid difficulties.