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Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval

Rivalry Round sees the home teams pitted against each other and in Perth that means the Western Derby. Fremantle has had a lock on these games in recent times, winning the last five encounters. With their good form and the Eagles struggling to win a game, the stage was set for the Dockers to steamroll their rivals. It is said, however, that form goes out the window in the Derbies. In these traditionally fiery affairs, with the action generally starting before the first bounce, anything can happen. This game was no exception.

Early in the match Fremantle danger man Stephen Hill was targeted with aggressive body work in an attempt to put him off his game. It was all about the big men with the two ruckmen, Michael Johnson and Dean Cox, kicking a goal apiece to open the score for their respective teams. West Coast tackled fiercely and attacked relentlessly but the maturity of Matthew Pavlich and his senior players steadied the Dockers. It was goal for goal with Mark LeCras scoring two for the Eagles. In his first two touches late in the quarter Matthew Pavlich kicked two goals to put Fremantle ahead. As the siren sounded, Fremantle were one point ahead.

Unlike other matches this round, the game was open, and play moved quickly around all parts of the ground. The Eagles maintained their pressure and kicked the next four goals to take a handy 23 point lead. The toll was mounting on Fremantle as player after player left the ground with injuries. The Fremantle medical staff deserved a medal as each casualty was patched up and sent back into the contest. West Coast suffered a body blow when their major possession winner, Chris Masten, left the field with a serious injury and did not return. Fremantle lifted their work rate and got back into the game with three successive goals. At the end of the first half they trailed by only eight points.

In the third quarter the Eagles had all the play in their forward half but could not make any headway on the scoreboard. In contrast, every time the Dockers took the ball into their 50 meter arc, they had success. Pavlich scored a goal then Nathan Fyfe and Michael Barlow followed suit. The warning signs were there with the Dockers kicking six consecutive goals. The Eagles were on the back foot and their delivery into the forward line was haphazard, giving their forwards limited chances to mark the ball close to goal. When the third quarter was over West Coast had not kicked a goal and found themselves ten points in arrears.

A strange incident started the final term. Eagles' defender Darren Glass found himself tight against the goals and instead of taking the ball over for a rushed behind, he handballed it forward. The ball traveled six inches and bounced off the ankle of Michael Johnson and through the goal posts for a six pointer. Johnson was so stunned even he didn’t realize what had happened until the goal umpire gave his signal. This was the start of the rout. Fremantle kicked the next five goals in a row, making it eleven Fremantle goals to West Coast's zero and the game was effectively over. Two late goals gave the Eagles a glimmer of hope but this was snuffed out when goals to Chris Mayne and the ever steady Pavlich sealed the game.

Michael Barlow capped off an outstanding performance for the Dockers by winning the Ross Glendinning Medal for Best Player on the ground.

Things look rosy for Fremantle who find themselves in fourth position on the ladder with five wins and one loss. Unfortunately, the West Coast Eagles have the mirror image of one win and five losses and find themselves languishing fourth bottom on the Ladder with their season in tatters. The Eagles look dispirited and are a long way from their premiership best. In this town, at least for this season, it’s all about Fremantle.


Scoreboard
Fremantle  4.2 7.4 10.7 17.9  (111)
West Coast 4.1 8.6  8.9 10.13 (73)

Best
Fremantle M Barlow, M Pavlich, A Sandilands, A McPhee,
          P Duffield, H Ballantyne
West Coast T Swift, M LeCras, A Hams, A Selwood,
           D Glass, B Ebert





Article last changed on Monday, May 28, 2018 - 5:36 PM EDT


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