SWFL: Stephen Bilcich and daughter Ebony reflect on achievements of Bunbury’s all-conquering women’s side

The father-and-daughter driving force behind Bunbury’s all-conquering women’s side were full of pride when reflecting on their team’s achievements in the wake of their premiership victory on Saturday. A 41-point grand final win over Donnybrook at Hands Oval on Saturday saw the Bulldogs claim their fifth flag across the competition’s nine-year history while also completing an undefeated 2025 season and a premiership three-peat. For each of their last three years, the side has been coached by East Fremantle legend Stephen Bilcich, whose daughter Ebony has starred on-field when not playing for Peel Thunder in the WAFLW. Ebony claimed the medal for the grand final’s best player afield on the back of a dominant showing where she won the ball at will through the middle of the ground and kicked two goals. While basking in the glory post-match, Ebony joked she had gone “one-up” on her famous father, who played in three premiership-winning sides for the Sharks, but none sequentially. “I’m just overjoyed right now, I’m really speechless at the moment,” she said. “I can’t believe we managed to not just to get three (premierships in a row), but have a season undefeated and push to our limits. I actually can’t believe it.” Stephen said he was delighted to share in another premiership with his daughter but he had special relationships with each and every one of his players. “They’re all great girls and it’s just relief,” he said. “It was nothing I expected when I first started. Three years ago when I first went down, we had three at training. “To back it up year-in, year-out has been fantastic. It’s a credit to the girls.” Bunbury had a pair of byes in the final four weeks of the home and away season and two more in the finals — one of which they earned by finishing atop the ladder and another they claimed by beating Busselton by eight points in a hard-fought second semifinal to bypass the preliminary final. Ebony said coming into the season’s final day having played only three games of football across the preceding seven weeks was a “real mental challenge”. “The girls really pulled through,” she said. “So many byes, it affects the whole competition. It’s been so hard towards the end of the season, we had to stay switched on, but I think we proved it today.” Stephen heaped praise on the Dons, who came from fourth on the ladder to secure a place in the season decider by besting third-placed Harvey Bulls and second-placed Busselton through a fairytale finals run. “To Donnybrook’s credit, they really played well. They’ve had three tough games in a row and came out and challenged us. It was a great contest,” he said.