by Janet Linn reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval
The intense hometown rivalry between the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers ensured a huge build up to the clash at Subiaco Oval on Sunday. The Dockers were rank outsiders but in front of a sellout crowd they proved that superior determination and desire could overcome the skill of the reigning Premiers. Kicking its highest ever score against the West Coast, Fremantle gave a four quarter display of team football to pull off a seemingly impossible victory. In the end, they outplayed the much-fancied Eagles by showing more run, more commitment and more endeavor.
From the opening bounce down, West Coast players and fans were stunned by Fremantle’s explosive run and fierce physical contact. The Fremantle forward line was wide open and players were running hard all over the ground. Antoni Grover scored the first goal for Fremantle within minutes and with Tarrant, Pavlich and Mundy on top up forward, the Eagles were under siege. Fremantle scored four straight goals before West Coast settled and scored through Quinten Lynch. As the Eagles found their footing and applied more pressure all over the ground, Fremantle defenders made some unforced errors allowing the Eagles back into the game. In a torrid last few minutes Docker Brett Peake took advantage of a West Coast mistake to goal and take Fremantle to a 17 point lead at quarter time.
Early in the second quarter, Eagles’ star Chris Judd flashed briefly into the play after being well held in the opening quarter by Fremantle tagger Matthew Carr. A piece of Judd magic set up an early goal for Ashley Hansen and West Coast looked set to mount a challenge. The Dockers were workmanlike in their response. Goals to Josh Carr, Chris Tarrant, Ryan Crowley and Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich went unanswered and the Eagles looked rattled as the margin blew out to 34 points. In a congested West Coast forward line, Mark Seaby and Rowan Jones posted steadying goals as the siren sounded for half time in an engrossing Western Derby.
West Coast looked threatening after the half time break but it was the Dockers who scored first. Their danger man up forward, Jeff Farmer, took a brilliant mark and kicked straight through the middle of the goal posts. Pavlich followed minutes later with a thumping kick on goal from outside the 50 meter line. Tempers flared as players from both sides became embroiled in a huge brawl that broke up only when umpires restarted play and the ball headed into the West Coast forward line. Rising star Mark LeCras kicked two consecutive goals to put the Eagles within nine points and in a good position to run over the Dockers. The atmosphere was electric as players from both sides threw everything into the game. Peter Bell kicked truly for the Dockers but the Eagles rebounded after Fremantle overdid the handball in the midfield. David Wirrpanda showed off his ability to make something out of nothing by scoring two brilliant goals in quick succession. With the margin at four points and the siren about to sound, Josh Carr made the most of a free kick to give the Dockers an 11 point lead at the final break.
The desperation and ferocity with which the game was played kept the fans on the edge of their seats throughout the last quarter. Josh Carr scored early to give the Dockers an 18 point break. The Eagles were not to be denied as goals to Staker and LeCras kept them in the game. However the Dockers kept running and produced some outstanding attacks to answer every challenge the Eagles threw at them. Refusing to wilt under Finals-type pressure, the Dockers finished off the quarter with brilliant goals to Peter Bell, Paul Haselby, Heath Black and Daniel Gilmore to win the eighth Western Derby by a convincing 27 point margin.
After the game, the Ross Glendinning Medal for best man on the ground was awarded to Josh Carr of the Fremantle Dockers.
Final scores
WCE 2.4 6.7 11.8 14.13 (97)
Fremantle 5.3 9.4 13.7 19.10 (124)
Goals
WCE LeCras 4 Staker, Wirrpanda 2 Seaby, Jones, Lynch, Hansen, Hunter
Fremantle J Carr, Farmer 3, Haselby, Peake, M Carr, Grover, Crowley,
Tarrant, Black, Gilmore, Murphy, Pavlich, Bell
Best
WCE Braun, Selwood, LeCras, Hansen, Kerr, Wirrpanda, Cox
Fremantle J Carr, Haselby, Solomon, McPharlin, Black, Johnson, Tarrant
Crowd 43069
Umpires: Dean Margetts, Shaun Ryan, Scott Jeffery
The intense hometown rivalry between the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers ensured a huge build up to the clash at Subiaco Oval on Sunday. The Dockers were rank outsiders but in front of a sellout crowd they proved that superior determination and desire could overcome the skill of the reigning Premiers. Kicking its highest ever score against the West Coast, Fremantle gave a four quarter display of team football to pull off a seemingly impossible victory. In the end, they outplayed the much-fancied Eagles by showing more run, more commitment and more endeavor.
From the opening bounce down, West Coast players and fans were stunned by Fremantle’s explosive run and fierce physical contact. The Fremantle forward line was wide open and players were running hard all over the ground. Antoni Grover scored the first goal for Fremantle within minutes and with Tarrant, Pavlich and Mundy on top up forward, the Eagles were under siege. Fremantle scored four straight goals before West Coast settled and scored through Quinten Lynch. As the Eagles found their footing and applied more pressure all over the ground, Fremantle defenders made some unforced errors allowing the Eagles back into the game. In a torrid last few minutes Docker Brett Peake took advantage of a West Coast mistake to goal and take Fremantle to a 17 point lead at quarter time.
Early in the second quarter, Eagles’ star Chris Judd flashed briefly into the play after being well held in the opening quarter by Fremantle tagger Matthew Carr. A piece of Judd magic set up an early goal for Ashley Hansen and West Coast looked set to mount a challenge. The Dockers were workmanlike in their response. Goals to Josh Carr, Chris Tarrant, Ryan Crowley and Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich went unanswered and the Eagles looked rattled as the margin blew out to 34 points. In a congested West Coast forward line, Mark Seaby and Rowan Jones posted steadying goals as the siren sounded for half time in an engrossing Western Derby.
West Coast looked threatening after the half time break but it was the Dockers who scored first. Their danger man up forward, Jeff Farmer, took a brilliant mark and kicked straight through the middle of the goal posts. Pavlich followed minutes later with a thumping kick on goal from outside the 50 meter line. Tempers flared as players from both sides became embroiled in a huge brawl that broke up only when umpires restarted play and the ball headed into the West Coast forward line. Rising star Mark LeCras kicked two consecutive goals to put the Eagles within nine points and in a good position to run over the Dockers. The atmosphere was electric as players from both sides threw everything into the game. Peter Bell kicked truly for the Dockers but the Eagles rebounded after Fremantle overdid the handball in the midfield. David Wirrpanda showed off his ability to make something out of nothing by scoring two brilliant goals in quick succession. With the margin at four points and the siren about to sound, Josh Carr made the most of a free kick to give the Dockers an 11 point lead at the final break.
The desperation and ferocity with which the game was played kept the fans on the edge of their seats throughout the last quarter. Josh Carr scored early to give the Dockers an 18 point break. The Eagles were not to be denied as goals to Staker and LeCras kept them in the game. However the Dockers kept running and produced some outstanding attacks to answer every challenge the Eagles threw at them. Refusing to wilt under Finals-type pressure, the Dockers finished off the quarter with brilliant goals to Peter Bell, Paul Haselby, Heath Black and Daniel Gilmore to win the eighth Western Derby by a convincing 27 point margin.
After the game, the Ross Glendinning Medal for best man on the ground was awarded to Josh Carr of the Fremantle Dockers.
Final scores
WCE 2.4 6.7 11.8 14.13 (97)
Fremantle 5.3 9.4 13.7 19.10 (124)
Goals
WCE LeCras 4 Staker, Wirrpanda 2 Seaby, Jones, Lynch, Hansen, Hunter
Fremantle J Carr, Farmer 3, Haselby, Peake, M Carr, Grover, Crowley,
Tarrant, Black, Gilmore, Murphy, Pavlich, Bell
Best
WCE Braun, Selwood, LeCras, Hansen, Kerr, Wirrpanda, Cox
Fremantle J Carr, Haselby, Solomon, McPharlin, Black, Johnson, Tarrant
Crowd 43069
Umpires: Dean Margetts, Shaun Ryan, Scott Jeffery
Article last changed on Tuesday, August 07, 2007 - 11:25 AM EDT
