West Coast will waste no time in unleashing No.2 draft pick Jess Rentsch, with the 18-year-old set to ignite the Eagles in Friday night’s AFLW season opener.

Rentsch will be deployed as a defender when the WA club kick off their campaign against Richmond at Mineral Resources Park.

The Greater Western Victoria product and new coach Daisy Pearce are the faces of what the Eagles hope will be a rejuvenated era, with the club failing to win more than two games in any of their five AFLW seasons.

Pearce said she was confident Rentsch would be right at home from the get-go after locking in the teenager’s debut.

“We drafted Jess because we loved her competitiveness and athleticism, (and) the way that she attacks the ball in the game, and we thought she would be someone who could come in and have an immediate impact for us,’ Pearce said.

“She has great versatility - she can play midfield, she’s played on ball and on the wing, but we’re going to use her down back predominantly.

“Jess has the ability of being able to play on a range of different opponents, with her attitude of never wanting to give up and never conceding anything, whether that’s on talls or smalls.

“We know she will always compete.”

Former middle-distance runner Sanne Bakker will also play her first AFLW game, capping an extraordinary rise after only arriving at the Eagles in April.

Bakker was picked up as an injury replacement for former Dockers midfielder Matilda Sergeant, who was ruled out of the 2024 season after rupturing her ACL at training.

Pearce described the 18-year-old as “an incredible athlete”, with the Eagles looking to utilise the former national 800m and 1500m runner’s speed and tank in a role through the middle of the ground.

“She had a bit of an interrupted pre-season with some back issues early on, and has been patient and disciplined with her rehab, which challenged her at times being away from home, but she’s worked through that and learned a heap along the way,” Pearce said of Bakker, who has come west after starring for Oakleigh in Victoria’s Coates Talent League.

“Since she’s been back on the track, she’s really impressed us with her appetite to compete.

“Her instincts for the game are really good and being selected for round one is a credit to her work rate and discipline.”

The Tigers enter Friday’s opener as warm favourites with bookmakers after narrowly missing finals last season, and enter the match buoyed by the re-signing of Beth Lynch.

The winger / defender inked a new two-year deal on Tuesday, off the back of a career-best campaign in 2023 that saw her finish seventh in the club’s best-and-fairest.