Port Adelaide senior coach Lauren Arnell said that while they’ve ‘done their homework’ on West Coast, she is heavily focused on her own team and what it can achieve. 

Stand-in skipper Justine Mules-Robinson will mark her 75th AFLW game this Saturday, with the Power hoping to clinch its first win over West Coast, having played them in Perth every year since joining the competition. 

Arnell spoke to the Adelaide media on Friday about team changes, managing the congested fixture, and how young players have brought energy to the group. 

Arnell on West Coast this weekend  
“Yeah, I think obviously we do our homework against West Coast, and they've won some good games and played some promising footy under Daisy. So I think the important thing for us is that we do our homework, but also we play our own game and focus heavily on ourselves. And so it's funny, I think both teams play a pretty similar brand of footy. We’ve both got some really exciting young players, and particularly Ella Roberts for them, is having an amazing season, so she's someone we need to be prepared for as well.” 

Arnell on the team for Saturday’s game 
“So, Sachi Syme will be rested, and Jasmin Stewart, who's actually from Perth originally, will play. So, yeah, we’re managing Sachi. She's obviously still 19 years old in her third year of AFLW, and had a significant off season and is currently a bit sore with the congested fixture that we've had. It’s a really nice opportunity to play Jaz in her hometown and also give Sachi an opportunity to freshen up for the back end of the year.” 

Arnell on Kirsty Lamb’s concussion 
“Yeah, she didn't play the last game against Carlton either. So obviously, a couple of sling tackles (in the) Richmond (game), which led to a concussion for Kirsty. So yeah, assuming she progresses through the protocols, she should be available for Collingwood.” 

Arnell on the congested fixture 
“The beauty of the fixture this year is it was released earlier than normal, so we had a lot of time to plan for it. So we certainly knew this was coming, and we were able to plan our whole pre-season around this space and get the right load in, in the right points in time so that the players were best prepared. So, like it has been hectic, I will say that. And I think, different teams are in different waves of their congested space. So this is sort of the Eagles game and the Collingwood game put us out the other half of it. We’ve spent a lot of time at the airport! It’s also positive, because you get to spend a lot of time together as a group. And think the coaching staff, where the majority are in full time roles outside of footy, the work that they've done to prepare the players and coach them through this space has been exceptional.” 

Arnell on the growth of the AFLW high performance space 
“I think certainly in our group, having Anthony Gallomarino come in from SACA and be employed at the back end of last year for us has been enormous. And you'll see that even in the North Melbourne and Richmond games, who no doubt North will be in the last couple of weeks of the year in the finals, and Richmond, at their best, are certainly capable of playing at the back end of the year too. In those games, obviously we were beaten by top end teams, but I felt we ran out the game better than those opposition teams. So to watch that happen against Carlton at Alberton over the weekend is a real positive. And again, we feel we've planned really well for it. We've prepared the players as best we can. And certainly I think Anthony Gallomarino has been a massive part of that.” 

Arnell on her forward line 
“Obviously, offence has always been a big part of our game style, and to unlock that against Carlton after two trickier games on the road against North and Richmond, I think is a real positive for our group. And yeah, the fitness element that we've been at for quite a while now, and we feel we've unlocked a big chunk of it this year. There's still more to come. To see that against better sides and not the results, and then get the result and run over the top late in the game against the Blues at home was certainly confidence building and a real positive for the group.” 

Arnell on Justine Mules-Robinson’s 75-game milestone 
“Juzzy (is reaching) 75 games in this competition. She hasn't even quite turned 30 yet so, she's been exceptional over her career, and obviously won a couple of premierships with Adelaide. And so to come across to us and invest herself in our group and lead in the capacity that she has...we encourage a lot of growth from our players all the time, and to have someone towards  the back end of their career, leading the young ones and showing massive growth in herself and off field as well. It’s not overly public some of the challenges that Juzzy has faced away from footy. Her resilience is unmatched in anyone that I've met in my life. So she's been exceptional for our group.” 

Arnell on Mules-Robinson’s leadership in the absence of Janelle Cuthbertson 
“She’s just team first, very heavily, team first. And one of, if you can say older school (players) who asks you for feedback, right in the middle of the eyes and wants it said straight, and always meets the challenge that you present to her. The way that she's been able to help lead the group in that space, particularly a young group, has been really helpful, and I've no doubt she'll continue to do that.” 

Arnell on the energy her young players bring 
“Oh, I think massive. But also, there's a level of professionalism about these young kids too. You know, you think young and you think inexperienced, but also, they've been through a full talent pathway that the others haven't, because that didn't exist in women's footy back in the day. So to have you know, those draftees, Alissa, Shenae, Molly and Piper, come through with a level of professionalism we haven't seen before in our draftees has been exceptional, and I think that's showing in their performances.” 

Arnell on Janelle Cuthbertson’s recovery 
“Obviously, Janelle is still our Skipper, and it's been a really challenging space for her, it’s her second ACL. And it's not an easy thing to get out the other side of an ACL surgery. So think she's just been an incredible leader in as many ways as she can, and obviously from Perth as well, so we'll have her in Perth with us, which will which will be really helpful for the group and for us.”