Few would have predicted Laura Pugh’s game-winning effort down back in Fremantle’s eight-point RAC Derby win considering her limitations over the pre-season.
 
The defender turned a nightmare pre-season into a dream round one start, with 19 disposals as Freo’s best on ground after only just recovering from a broken wrist sustained in July.
 
Pugh hadn’t taken part in any of Freo’s match sims and only returned to training a week before round one.

She missed out on the best on ground medal by one vote, with West Coast’s Ella Roberts taking the award.
 
Teammate Aine Tighe said what Pugh was able to achieve was ‘unbelievable’.
 
“’Pughy’ was unbelievable down back, it’s just great to have her back,” Tighe said.
 
“She’s had a bit of an interrupted pre-season. She’s ‘The General’ down there, she has so much experience and is a calming influence and ever reliable.
 
“(Her return after injury) shows the type of character she is, she approached her rehab with such a positive frame of mind and was still out on the track and involved in everything she could possibly do.
 
“It’s reward for effort seeing her get out and perform to the level she did.”

Tighe said Fremantle were also motivated to start Lisa Webb’s AFLW coaching career the right way.
 
“She’s has had such an impact on the group in a pretty short period of time,” Tighe said of Webb.
 
“We really wanted to go out there and showcase all the work we did in the season. To get the win and get over the line was the most important bit.”
 
Tighe was proud of Freo’s character after the Eagles came from three goals down to get within two points in the third term.
 
“We knew they were going to bring it and come out fighting as they always do,” Tighe said.
 
“For us to be able to dig in when they got it back to a couple of points, for us to respond and get another goal (through Makaela Tuhakaraina) on the board was super important and it showed our character.”