Fremantle now sit just percentage off the AFL’s top two after claiming a 35-point victory in a spiteful Western Derby on Saturday night.
The Dockers were challenged in the first half by a plucky West Coast outfit, but managed to find another gear to put the Eagles away 17.8 (110) to 11.9 (75) at Optus Stadium.
Without skipper Alex Pearce, Fremantle still held West Coast to just two second half goals in an impressive display.
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Darcy downed after nasty head high bump | 00:38
Glendinning-Allan Medallist for best on ground, Caleb Serong equalled the AFL record for 70 consecutive games of 20+ disposals in another outstanding display.
But the match will be remembered for the multiple fights that broke out – particularly in the third term after Eagle Harley Reid coughed up a goal and players ran in from everywhere to get involved in the scrap.
Fremantle had a big injury scare early when Sean Darcy left the field in an incident that will leave Eagle Jack Petruccelle sweating on the Match Review.
For West Coast, it was a gallant effort given they lost Zane Trew in the opening seconds after a nasty bout of friendly fire.
The Eagles were up for the fight in the first half but fell away in interim coach Jarrad Schofield’s first Derby in charge.
QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT
There were no late changes for either side, with James Aish (Fremantle) and Jai Culley (West Coast) named the starting subs.
Eagle Zane Trew lasted less than 10 seconds of the contest after he collided with teammate Bailey Williams at the opening centre bounce.
The game was stopped as the young midfielder was left prone on the Optus Stadium turf – and later subbed out of the contest.
Andrew Brayshaw got Fremantle on the board first with a brilliant crumbing effort, but Liam Ryan had the immediate reply – and let the pro-Freo crowd know about it.
When Jamie Cripps and Tim Kelly got on the board, suddenly another Derby ambush loomed.
“Fremantle getting a little bit frustrated early with what West Coast are throwing at them,” Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson said.
But the Dockers turned the tide late in the quarter with two brilliant passages of play of their own.
Freo fans held their breath when big man Sean Darcy struggled to his feet after a heavy bump from Eagle Jack Petruccelle.
The ruckman took his kick, but then fell to the turf after a second big hit moments later as medical staff rushed to his aid.
He was taken from the field and immediately down to the rooms in worrying signs.
At the first change, it was West Coast leading 31-18.
Darcy was cleared to return to the contest but it did little to slow West Coast’s momentum as Petruccelle extended the margin to 20 points.
Brayshaw’s temper spilled over when he got a free kick reversed to Harley Reid as ill-discipline started to hurt the Dockers.
The two sides traded blows on the scoreboard as spot fires broke out around the ground.
When Liam Ryan flew high, the Eagles were back out to a 12-point buffer – despite the Dockers momentum.
Reid and Brayshaw continued to go at it, with the Docker likely to come under scrutiny for his bump late in the second term.
At the main break it was West Coast leading 58-45.
The third quarter belonged to Fremantle, as the Dockers once again went after Harley Reid.
“It’s absolutely on in this one,” Schofield said.
“Both teams are attacking it with the same power and ferocity as their did in the first half,” Johnson added.
Despite Nat Fyfe letting a “goal go begging” in a move that had coach Justin Longmuir blowing up and smashing the phone in the box, the Dockers caught fire and kicked five goals to turn the contest in their favour.
But it was after the fifth goal that absolute mayhem broke out with players running in to multiple fights.
Harley Reid had given up a goal and the Dockers let him know about it – starting the brawl.
At the final change, it was Fremantle leading by 21.
Despite final quarter goals to Jake Waterman and Jack Williams, the Dockers remained in complete control in the final quarter.
THE 3-2-1…
3. ‘DERBY OF OLD’ AS EAGLES FIND FIGHT … LITERALLY
Fremantle went into the Western Derby as overwhelming favourites against an Eagles side that failed to lay a single tackle inside 50 last week.
But what the Dockers got was a fired up West Coast outfit who took the match up to Fremantle in the first half.
It was in the third term that the game blew up physically with an almost all-in brawl breaking out after Eagle Harley Reid – who had gone toe-to-toe with Andy Brayshaw all match – coughed up a free kick and goal.
Tom Cole came rushing in as Jayden Hunt’s jumper was almost pulled off.
“It’s absolutely on here. About five spot fires across the ground,” Fox Footy’s Will Schofield said.
Veteran Eagle Elliot Yeo shielded young Reid in a move that Schofield and fellow commentator Brad Johnson liked best.
“You can see Elliot Yeo, his full time employment at the moment is to protect Harley Reid,” Schofield said.
“Yeo had Reid the whole time and didn’t allow him to go back and get involved in that,” Johnson added.
“I think that’s excellent leadership.
“I remember my first year (Bulldogs great) Doug Hawkins saying to me, ‘whatever happens in your first few games, I’ve got you. Come and stand with me and we’ll look after you’. It’s similar in a way because you need your senior player to look after your youngsters out there as they’re still trying to find their own feet.
“He’s aggressive Reid. But still needs that leadership around him.”
Schofield said “no one” gave the Eagles a chance leading into Saturday’s spiteful contest – and West Coast almost ambushed Freo again with a stunning first half.
“They’ve bounced back (from the St Kilda loss) and look to be a really competitive side,” he said.
“They’ve taken it up to this Freo Dockers side.
“There’s argy bargy and a bit of personal nature about it which we haven’t seen in Derbies in a long time over here in the west basically because West Coast have been no good for about four years.”
Reid, while involved in the majority of scuffles, was impressive with 17 disposals and five broken tackles in his first half alone.
“He said he might have had something special for us tonight.. and he has,” Schofield said.
“He’s able to change direction, run out of the front of stoppage more than what we’ve seen from others. That’s what sets him apart from some of these other midfielders.
“To be doing it in his first year, that’s what’s so impressive. He seems like a big game player.
“I think he likes the booing. I think he likes the back and forth.”
Despite the fight found by West Coast and the efforts of young Reid, Fremantle were able to stay composed with a brilliant third term where they scored five goals to none to put the game out of the Eagles’ reach.
“They were challenged in this first half. They stood up, went to a new level and West Coast could not match it,” Schofield praised.
2. FREO COACH BLOWS UP AFTER BLUNDER
The Western Derby was never going to be as simple as a top four contender taking on a side looking to avoid the wooden spoon.
And you could see how much the match meant to Fremantle when coach Justin Longmuir blew up in the box, slamming his phone down in a rare show of emotion.
With Fremantle trailing by five points, star Nat Fyfe blew a golden opportunity for his side to take the lead when he opted to play on in a bizarre brain snap.
Jye Amiss had done the hard work to chase down Jai Culley and set up the shot on goal.
But Fyfe simply handballed away as the umpire called play on – leaving the Dockers to botch their chance, and leave Longmuir fuming.
“Nat Fyfe, I’m pretty sure is experienced enough how footy works. You just stop with the footy there,” Fox Footy’s Will Schofield said.
“He tries to play on. That’s on Nat Fyfe.
“He’s disappointed in his senior player there. He knows what an opportunity that was.
“It’s a team lifter to get the rundown tackle inside 50. Put your hand up and stop Nat Fyfe.”
Fellow commentator Adam Papalia was surprised by the emotion shown by Longmuir.
“Justin Longmuir was filthy with it. Throwing the phone to the ground,” he said.
“He knows what’s on the line. He’s normally so measured.
“You don’t see Justin Longmuir react like that often.
“A goal goes begging.”
Luckily for Fremantle, the moment didn’t cost them the four points.
1. PETRUCCELLE AND CO. SET TO SWEAT ON MATCH REVIEW
Eagle Jack Petruccelle was reported on the spot in a spiteful opening term after he appeared to make high contact with Docker Sean Darcy.
The big Docker had slid into the contest and was collected by Petruccelle coming in from the side.
“He did reach down to try and go for the ball first,” Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson explained of Petruccelle.
But moments later, Darcy was seen struggling behind play.
Darcy downed after nasty head high bump | 00:38
Replays showed the big man copped more contact moments later before he came from the field.
It remains unclear if Darcy was concussion tested once he went down to the rooms – given he left the field clutching his shoulder.
“Number one, he is actually lucky it wasn’t more severe in the first hit he did cop (from Petruccelle),” Johnson said.
“Secondly, I hope it is just in some ways a knock there… it’s better than being knocked out and concussed and falling a minute or so after you were hit.
“We wait and see now. There’s a fair bit going on with Sean Darcy.”
Schofield said it looked like Petruccelle made contact with Darcy’s shoulder.
Fox Footy’s Kath Loughnan later clarified it was a shoulder issue that saw Darcy come from the ground rather than concussion.
Either way, Petruccelle is set to come under scrutiny. And plenty of others can expect to draw the ire of the Match Review after the number of fights broke out during the spiteful contest.
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