Essendon ruck Stephanie Wales has put on a first-half masterclass to help lift her side to a crushing 52-point AFLW win over West Coast at Mineral Resources Park.
The Bombers booted the opening nine goals of Sunday's match on the way to the 13.6 (84) to 4.8 (32) win.
Wales was the key cog in the early onslaught, booting three goals in the first half to set the tone.
The 19-year-old kicked the opening goal of the match with a 45-metre set shot, and she followed it up with a strong mark on the goal line later in the term.
The demolition continued in the second quarter when Wales kicked truly on the run from 40m.
Essendon's first-half of 9.4 (58) was the highest in AFLW history, beating Adelaide's 9.2 (56) from their 2019 grand final win over Carlton.
West Coast's first goal of the match didn't come until the dying minutes of the first half, when Imahra Cameron snapped truly from the tightest of angles.
By that stage the lead was already 56 points and it was game over.
Wales tallied just one possession in the second half, but she had already inflicted the necessary damage.
Star Bombers midfielder Madison Prespakis was best afield with 22 disposals, two goals and two score assists, while Paige Scott (three goals), Daria Bannister (14 disposals, two goals), and Jessica Wuetschner (two goals) were also crucial.
Eagles captain Emma Swanson battled valiantly to finish with 25 disposals and eight clearances, while Ella Roberts (17 disposals, five clearances) and Aimee Schmidt (two goals) were also among their team's best.
The result lifted expansion side Essendon (2-1) into sixth spot, while West Coast (1-2) are 13th.
The Bombers took six marks inside 50m during a dominant first term, with Wales and Prespakis proving impossible to stop.
Essendon entered the first break with a 32-2 lead, and it ballooned to 58-2 in the second term as the prospect of a triple-figure win loomed.
West Coast finished the half with two late goals - a ripper from Cameron in the pocket and an after-the-siren set shot to Schmidt - to take some momentum into the break.
Schmidt booted the first goal of the second half to get the crowd into the game, but Prespakis kicked her second goal of the match to snuff out the momentum.
Although Essendon were restricted to four goals in the second half, their dominant display in the first two quarters meant they still came away with a percentage-boosting triumph.
