Walyalup will have a debutant for the round seven clash against Geelong on Saturday, with midfielder Tahleah Mulder receiving the news she would be playing her first AFLW game.
 
Mulder had an impressive start to her WAFLW season with South Fremantle earlier this year, before being selected as pick no.3 in the 2023 AFLW Supplementary Draft back in April.
 
Averaging an impressive 18 disposals for South Fremantle in the WAFLW, Mulder was the Club's top pick in the 2023 AFLW supplementary draft.
 
Senior Coach Lisa Webb broke the news to Mulder and her teammates during a team meeting, which left the debutant in complete shock.
 
“(I am) super excited. I’m in shock still – definitely still shaking, but super stoked be able to play,” Mulder said.
 
“We were just having our team meeting. Webby was saying some players would be playing in different positions, and then my name got called up there (on the projector).
 
“(It was a) complete surprise. I did see the camera in there, but we did have our Walyalup presentation, so assumed it was all for that – but definitely was not expecting it.”

Mulder, keen to share the news with her family, said her parents will likely attend the away game in Geelong this weekend.
 
“They will be so excited. They ask me every single week before the game if I’m playing, and obviously it’s been tough not, but they’ll be so excited now and will definitely make the trip over on the weekend,” Mulder said.
 
The debutant said she has been focussing on her development in the midfield, learning a lot from her teammates.
 
“(I have) definitely been learning a lot of midfield craft, and it’s super awesome having Kiara Bowers and Hayley Miller on the team and learning off them,” Mulder said.
 
AFLW Senior Coach Lisa Webb said the team is excited to see Tahleah put on the Walyalup guernsey, after a consistent and impressive effort so far this season.
 
“She will pull on the number 26 – she’s been working really hard,” Webb said.
 
“We saw what she (Tahleah) could do at South Fremantle, but she’s been training really hard and banging down the door for a few weeks now, so we’re really excited to give her the opportunity.

“She’s been in really good form, and obviously we’re looking to play a really strong midfield team over there (Geelong).
 
“We know she’s got flexibility to play across forward and inside mid, so I think she’s going to put her best foot forward, and she’s got a lot of attributes that will suit our midfield.”