West Coast Eagles star Ella Roberts has ruptured the ACL in her right knee. The club confirmed the injury on Monday, with the two-time All-Australian set for a knee reconstruction that puts her 2027 AFLW season in doubt.
Scans confirmed the rupture after Roberts was hurt in the Eagles’ final game of the season, the club said in a statement, and the reigning club champion will undergo surgery in the coming days. AFL.com.au reported the 21-year-old would have surgery this week.
Roberts went down in the opening minutes of West Coast’s 55-point loss to Hawthorn at Sullivan Logistics Stadium in Perth on Saturday night, 31 October, after planting her right leg to change direction. She needed the help of trainers to leave the ground and took no further part in the match.
What the Eagles said
“We are all saddened by the injury sustained by Ella,” West Coast’s Head of Women’s Football Michelle Cowan said. “Our priority is to arrange surgery as soon as possible and ensure she receives the very best care, and we will wrap our arms around her throughout this journey.
“She is a true professional, and we have every confidence she will approach her recovery with the same diligence and determination, fully supported by our medical team.”
Read more: Matt Owies Delisted by West Coast With a Year Left on His Deal
Recovery from a knee reconstruction typically takes around 12 months, and AAP, via the ABC, noted that Roberts will be racing the clock to feature at all next year.
Pearce’s post-match update
Coach Daisy Pearce said after the game that the club would wait on scans before knowing the full extent of the damage, AFL.com.au reported.
Read more: Jasmine Garner Reveals ‘Mixed Emotions’ Over Nick Blakey Trade
“We won’t know [the extent] until we get it scanned,” Pearce said. “It was serious enough that she didn’t go back out there, but we’ll just wait on results and hope for the best.
“Her attitude on the bench was outstanding and the way she carried herself through the game. She’s a competitor, and she would have hated watching.”
One of the AFLW’s brightest talents
Roberts, who can play in the midfield and up forward, has kicked 20 goals in 55 games since her 2022 debut. She is a two-time All-Australian and won the Eagles’ best and fairest award in 2024 and 2025, according to AAP.
AFL.com.au reported she led West Coast for tackles, clearances, contested possessions and inside 50s this season, and was the leading contender to win the club champion award for a third straight year.
A tough end to the season for West Coast
The loss was the Eagles’ last game of the season after they missed the finals with a 4-8 record, finishing 13th. Hawthorn kicked its highest AFLW score in the 14.10 (94) to 6.3 (39) win, according to the AFLW match centre and match report, locking away eighth spot and a third straight finals campaign.
More News
