AFLW: Walyalup (Fremantle) coach Lisa Webb not focused on finals just yet ahead of GWS clash

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AFLW: Walyalup (Fremantle) coach Lisa Webb not focused on finals just yet ahead of GWS clash

Walyalup (Fremantle) can potentially seal a first AFLW finals berth in three seasons this weekend, but coach Lisa Webb is more focused on the task at hand than what is looming on the horizon.

The dangling carrot of a first finals berth since season six in early 2022 is on offer for Walyalup when they head east to take on GWS this weekend.

It comes as stand-in co-captain and star midfielder Hayley Miller traveled with the squad after missing the last two games due to a calf issue.

Walyalup could lock in a top-eight spot with a win over the 16th-placed Giants, pending other results across the weekend.

A Hawthorn win over ninth-placed Melbourne on Thursday afternoon means a Walyalup win would guarantee them a ticket to the finals.

A Port Adelaide shock loss to Gold Coast would also strengthen Walyalup’s position in the eight, and if Essendon can beat fifth-placed Richmond, it would also give the Dockers a chance to move further up the ladder with a win.

But Webb said they could not afford to look too far ahead and they were wary of the threats posed by GWS, who she said were strong in several areas which belied their ladder position.

“They’re a really great team in terms of the way that they can move the ball, especially from defensive 50 to forward 50,” she said.

“I’ve only ever focused really on that next game and GWS are really important. We know the style of footy they can play.

“They’re really high up in certain factors of the game, which we need to be onto. They’re number two for handball receives, number two for handballs, and really high scoring from that defensive 50 stoppage.”

Walyalup could be boosted by the return of Miller, who was a late out from their derby win over Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) last weekend, after the club said mid-week her availability would be a risk management decision.

Camera IconWalyalup are yet to lose away from home this season. Credit: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“We’d love to have Hayley back. There’s a bit to work through and how that looks, but whoever it is that is in or out of the team, we know they’re ready to go,” Webb said.

Despite a surprise loss to Carlton at home a fortnight ago, Webb said she had not spoken to the squad about avoiding complacency, instead doubling down on what they needed to do better.

“Every game we want to keep building, no matter who it is against. We love our away trips, so we’re more focused on the style of football we want to be playing, the things we brought that were positives against West Coast,” she said.

With Walyalup hoping to keep their impressive 100 per cent away record intact against a GWS outfit who have won just once all season, the visitors will be heavily favoured.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconLisa Webb has overseen significant improvement in her second season in charge. Credit: RICHARD WAINWRIGHT/AAPIMAGE

Webb said the team relished their time on the road together and joked she enjoyed getting some sleep away from her kids.

“We love spending time away together. A lot of our ****** are working as well, so they get a bit of time off work, and then we get to go through some more walkthroughs and some more education that maybe we don’t get to do if we were at home,” she said.

West Coast/Fremantle will be known as Waalitj Marawar/Walyalup for AFLW Indigenous round.

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