West Coast Eagles coach and Hall of Famer Daisy Pearce on mentoring next generation of AFLW stars

Daisy Pearce is the trailblazing footballer who helped the women’s game become what it is today. And now, she hopes to continue paving the way for the next generation of AFLW stars as coach of the West Coast Eagles. Pearce was recognised for her outstanding on-field contribution to the game this week, becoming the third woman to be inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night. Following a decorated playing career, which included premiership captain among her many accolades, Pearce hopes to pay it forward and help grow the game off the field as a mentor. “The opportunity to stay close to belonging to a team and chasing something that you’re trying to win is pretty special. To do that and be helping to guide the next generation of players is a privilege and something I find really, really rewarding,” Pearce told The West Australian of her role with the Eagles. “It’s so exciting where the game is at now... It’s exciting to think about where the future is going to take us and I’m hanging on for the ride as best I can and I hope that I can have somewhat of an influence on them like the great coaches I had did.” Pearce said the players coming through now, who have played football their entire lives, continue to raise the standards and will only continue to improve as the game grows. “The amount of football that they’ve got in their bodies and minds and hearts, by the time they get to us at West Coast, makes them a whole different breed,” she said. “It’s so exciting to think the national competition at this level is only 10 years old. To see how far it’s come, it’s exciting to think where it will be in another 10. She joked that there is “almost a sense of entitlement” when it comes to younger players compared to her generation. But it’s one that she welcomes. “My flinch reaction is ‘hold on, let me give you a history lesson’, but another part of me is so glad that this is all they’ve ever known,” she said. “They feel like they belong and are deserving of these opportunities, rather than have had to wade through like they don’t belong and be overridden with gratitude that now they do. It’s all they’ve ever known.” The 37-year-old hopes those who paved the way for her would soon be recognised in the Hall of Fame, alongside Debbie Lee and fellow 2025 inductee Erin Phillips, with West Australian pioneer Jan Cooper among the names noted. Pearce said it was “really important” to recognise the passion and drive of the women that came before her. “For all of the two steps forward and three steps back that we had to take in the early days, I can’t imagine how unrecognised and unseen they were at times. And playing in an era that was unsafe, and that’s not an exaggeration,” Pearce said. “I hope the fast-tracking of players like Erin and my induction (into the Hall of Fame) doesn’t skip a generation that played at the highest level and brought the game to the place it was when Erin and I got the opportunities we did.” Pearce retired in 2022 after 55 games as a premiership captain with Melbourne, a three-time club best and fairest and three-time All-Australian. In her award-winning role with Seven, Pearce became one of the most esteemed and respected figures in the industry, breaking down outdated barriers in the process as she provided expert insight to the men’s game. She transitioned into coaching at Geelong, an understudy to mentor and premiership coach Chris Scott, before making the step up to head coach of the Eagles. The club called it “one of the biggest recruiting coups of their history” when Pearce signed on in December 2023. And she had an instant impact, guiding the young Eagles to their best-ever season with a club-record four wins last year.