West Coast have withstood a late-term surge from Essendon to narrowly claim their second win of the AFLW season.
Fresh off a week of controversy after comments by coach Michael Prior following their 70-point loss to Melbourne, the Eagles found vindication by prevailing 3.5 (23) to 2.7 (19) in an arduous arm wrestle against the Bombers at Windy Hill on Sunday.
Prior had blasted the decision to pit strugglers West Coast against defending premiers Melbourne, saying: "How we play that team is beyond me. That is what you get when you get fixturing like that."
He later backtracked on the criticism, but the Eagles still will have taken on Essendon eager to redeem themselves.
Aisling McCarthy and Amy Franklin drew first blood for West Coast within the opening five minutes, while the hosts were kept goalless.
True to the old ground's name, both sides were dogged by blustery conditions.
The Bombers struggled for goals and scored only three behinds in the second term, when they Eagles didn't score.
Kellie Gibson broke the goal drought with the wind back on West Coast's side, kicking the only major of the third quarter.
The home side then exploded to life in the final term, with skipper Bonnie Toogood and Amber Clarke reducing the margin to four points.
Toogood continued to pepper the scoreboard but the Eagles held on to secure a rare victory.
"We've had a horror week back at home, and it's been really bloody tough on all of us and Mick as well. I'm just really proud of the girls," West Coast captain Emma Swanson told the Seven Network.
"I can name the whole team. Everyone had their second in the last couple minutes.
"That was such a team effort, everyone had a moment there when they had to put their head over the footy and lay a tackle and not let it slip."
Skipper Emma Swanson (25 disposals, eight clearances) stood out for the Eagles, while Bombers workhorse Maddy Prespakis (30 disposals, nine clearances) was typically prominent in the midfield alongside Georgia Nanscawen (21, six).
With two rounds left, West Coast have a chance to build their winning streak when they meet the bottom of the table Western Bulldogs next round.
Slipping one place to sixth, Essendon have must-win matches against Carlton and Gold Coast on the road to the finals.
The Bombers will be without Steph Cain, who was sidelined with a concussion after an elbow to the head from Swanson.
