| First contested | 14 May 1995 |
|---|---|
| Number of meetings | 34 |
| Most recent meeting | 24 July 2011 |
| Next meeting | TBA |
| All-time series (Australian Football League only) | West Coast 20 wins Fremantle 14 wins |
| Largest victory | West Coast – 117 points (15 April 2000) Fremantle – 75 points (1 August 2010) |
The Western Derby ( /ˈdɜrbiː/) is the name given to the Australian rules football rivalry match between the Fremantle Football Club and West Coast Eagles, who both participate in the Australian Football League (AFL). As both teams are based in Western Australia, the term 'derby' is used to describe the match.
There are two Western Derbies every year during the home and away season. In recent years the derby has been part of the AFL Rivalry Round. There has never been a Western Derby finals match.
West Coast were the dominant team during Fremantle's initial years, winning the first nine derbies. However since Fremantle won their first Western Derby in July 1999 it has been fourteen wins to nine in Fremantle's favour. West Coast are the holders of the Western Derby Trophy, having beaten Fremantle by one point in Round 18, 2011.
The player adjudged best player in each derby match is awarded the Ross Glendinning Medal, named after former West Coast Eagles player and Fremantle Dockers Chairman of selectors Ross Glendinning.
Contents |
| Match | Round | Date | Fremantle | West Coast | Winner | By | Crowd | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R7 | 14 May 1995 | 1.1 3.5 5.7 9.12 | 66 | 4.3 10.7 17.12 23.13 | 151 | West Coast | 85 | 41,601 |
| 2 | R22 | 3 September 1995 | 1.1 2.6 6.9 8.10 | 58 | 2.3 5.7 14.10 16.15 | 111 | West Coast | 53 | 39,486 |
| 3 | R1 | 31 March 1996 | 0.3 2.5 3.8 6.9 | 45 | 3.5 5.6 8.9 9.13 | 67 | West Coast | 22 | 32,880 |
| 4 | R16 | 21 July 1996 | 1.0 2.2 2.6 7.6 | 48 | 2.3 6.4 8.7 12.10 | 82 | West Coast | 34 | 35,410 |
| 5 | R3 | 13 April 1997 | 2.2 4.7 6.12 9.17 | 71 | 5.2 10.8 12.10 16.15 | 111 | West Coast | 40 | 39,586 |
| 6 | R18 | 3 August 1997 | 2.1 5.2 6.5 7.7 | 49 | 2.0 5.2 10.2 13.4 | 82 | West Coast | 33 | 39,711 |
| 7 | R3 | 12 April 1998 | 0.4 5.6 8.7 10.7 | 67 | 5.0 6.2 10.6 14.10 | 94 | West Coast | 27 | 34,557 |
| 8 | R18 | 2 August 1998 | 5.2 6.4 7.9 8.12 | 60 | 3.3 7.4 10.5 15.9 | 99 | West Coast | 39 | 37,372 |
| 9 | R1 | 28 March 1999 | 2.2 6.7 8.11 13.20 | 98 | 8.3 12.5 15.9 15.12 | 102 | West Coast | 4 | 32,656 |
| 10 | R16 | 18 July 1999 | 7.5 10.8 14.10 17.17 | 119 | 4.0 7.3 10.4 11.6 | 72 | Fremantle | 47 | 36,763 |
| 11 | R6 | 15 April 2000 | 3.0 4.3 6.5 9.7 | 61 | 5.3 11.4 19.9 28.10 | 178 | West Coast | 117 | 40,460 |
| 12 | R21 | 30 July 2000 | 1.3 4.4 9.8 15.11 | 101 | 5.2 9.6 12.8 15.10 | 100 | Fremantle | 1 | 37,573 |
| 13 | R4 | 21 April 2001 | 1.3 5.6 10.8 13.10 | 88 | 3.4 7.9 9.14 16.16 | 112 | West Coast | 24 | 38,804 |
| 14 | R19 | 12 August 2001 | 0.3 2.4 5.7 9.10 | 64 | 2.4 5.5 10.9 14.14 | 98 | West Coast | 34 | 41,285 |
| 15 | R1 | 31 March 2002 | 4.4 8.7 11.9 18.10 | 118 | 6.1 9.5 16.6 21.11 | 137 | West Coast | 19 | 39,467 |
| 16 | R16 | 20 July 2002 | 3.1 5.5 10.7 15.10 | 100 | 5.0 6.1 7.3 11.4 | 70 | Fremantle | 30 | 41,779 |
| 17 | R5 | 27 April 2003 | 2.1 4.3 8.7 10.13 | 73 | 5.4 8.9 12.10 16.12 | 108 | West Coast | 35 | 41,654 |
| 18 | R22 | 30 August 2003 | 4.2 6.6 12.10 14.12 | 96 | 4.2 7.4 9.9 11.16 | 82 | Fremantle | 14 | 43,027 |
| 19 | R6 | 1 May 2004 | 4.1 7.3 11.8 12.11 | 83 | 3.2 7.5 9.5 11.7 | 73 | Fremantle | 10 | 42,135 |
| 20 | R21 | 22 August 2004 | 2.2 3.4 5.8 6.9 | 45 | 5.1 7.10 9.14 13.15 | 93 | West Coast | 48 | 41,907 |
| 21 | R3 | 9 April 2005 | 2.4 7.6 9.7 12.8 | 80 | 2.4 3.9 7.14 12.16 | 88 | West Coast | 8 | 42,027 |
| 22 | R20 | 12 August 2005 | 2.1 5.2 7.4 12.8 | 80 | 5.4 12.7 18.11 19.14 | 128 | West Coast | 48 | 40,720 |
| 23 | R6 | 6 May 2006 | 4.4 7.8 10.11 12.16 | 88 | 3.5 7.6 10.8 12.11 | 83 | Fremantle | 5 | 42,213 |
| 24 | R21 | 27 August 2006 | 4.1 8.5 14.8 18.10 | 118 | 4.3 4.8 4.11 8.13 | 61 | Fremantle | 57 | 43,527 |
| 25 | R3 | 14 April 2007 | 1.2 4.4 8.4 11.4 | 70 | 4.1 6.6 9.11 14.17 | 101 | West Coast | 31 | 42,051 |
| 26 | R18 | 5 August 2007 | 5.3 9.4 13.7 19.10 | 124 | 2.4 6.7 11.8 14.13 | 97 | Fremantle | 27 | 43,096 |
| 27 | R3 | 5 April 2008 | 3.2 8.5 10.8 12.15 | 87 | 3.5 5.9 8.10 10.13 | 73 | Fremantle | 14 | 39,027 |
| 28 | R18 | 3 August 2008 | 9.2 13.5 17.10 17.14 | 116 | 4.1 6.6 10.7 12.11 | 83 | Fremantle | 33 | 42,096 |
| 29 | R6 | 2 May 2009 | 3.2 4.2 8.7 13.9 | 87 | 4.6 6.13 8.13 9.20 | 74 | Fremantle | 13 | 41,654 |
| 30 | R17 | 25 July 2009 | 3.4 6.8 7.9 10.11 | 71 | 1.4 5.9 6.14 8.18 | 66 | Fremantle | 5 | 39,536 |
| 31 | R6 | 2 May 2010 | 4.2 7.4 10.7 17.9 | 111 | 4.1 8.6 8.9 10.13 | 73 | Fremantle | 38 | 40,886 |
| 32 | R18 | 1 August 2010 | 7.6 13.8 18.12 24.16 | 160 | 0.3 4.4 9.5 13.7 | 85 | Fremantle | 75 | 40,451 |
| 33 | R8 | 15 May 2011 | 2.1 3.4 6.5 9.9 | 63 | 4.1 9.5 10.9 14.12 | 96 | West Coast | 33 | 40,567 |
| 34 | R18 | 24 July 2011 | 2.3 3.6 6.7 9.10 | 64 | 1.6 3.7 6.14 8.17 | 65 | West Coast | 1 | 41,055 |
An infamous derby occurred in round 21, 2000. Both clubs were out of finals contention, the derby earlier in the year had recorded the biggest ever margin (Scott Cummings' 10 goals led West Coast to a 117 point win) and in the lead up both teams were talking down the importance of the game with the standard line of "it's only worth 4 points". However, Clive Waterhouse indicated that something different might happen by saying that "blood would be spilled".[1]
Before the first bounce, West Coast, through Michael Gardiner, went on the attack, pushing and shoving first year player Matthew Pavlich. The umpires awarded a free kick to Pavlich before the ball was bounced. However West Coast settled and led by four goals at quarter time with goals to Phillip Read, Andrew Embley and three to Phil Matera. Fremantle's forward line was struggling, with only 4 goals to half time, including two to Waterhouse, and singles to midfielders Heath Black and Troy Cook, while two goals to Mitchell White, a fourth goal for Matera and one to Chad Morrison in the second quarter saw West Coast go to the half-time break a comfortable 32 points in front. During the break, a brawl broke out which cleared both team's benches and resulted in one of longest tribunal records in recent times.
In the third quarter, Phil Matera kicked his 5th goal, bringing the Eagles lead to 42 points, but Fremantle surged to cut the margin to 18 points at three quarter time with three goals to Clive Waterhouse and singles to Pavlich and Daniel Bandy.
The last quarter saw Phil Matera carried from the ground on a stretcher after a hard collision with umpire Steven Handley, and a solid but legal shirtfront by Troy Cook also saw Mitchell White carried from the ground on a stretcher. A six goal to three final quarter, including another two to Waterhouse and singles to Koops, Shipp, and ironically Kickett and Dodd saw Fremantle hit the lead by two points. With only seconds to spare the Eagles pushed forward and a loose ball was unable to be gathered in by makeshift forward Darren Glass, resulting in a rushed behind and a one point victory for Fremantle, only their 2nd ever in a Western Derby.
The following suspensions and fines were handed out as a result of the brawl:[2]
The following week both teams were well beaten, with Fremantle beaten by Brisbane by 107 points at the Gabba and Melbourne winning by 70 points over the Eagles at Subiaco.
The round 3, 2007 match will be remembered as one of the most controversial and spiteful derbies ever played. Nearing three-quarter time, Fremantle's Des Headland was reported by umpire Stuart Wenn for striking and wrestling with West Coast's Adam Selwood, who made an inappropriate comment about a tattoo on Headland's arm which depicted the Fremantle player's six-year-old daughter.
The case was heard on 18 April, with Selwood cleared of using abusive language towards Headland. Headland was found guilty of both striking and wrestling with Selwood, but was not suspended because of "exceptional and compelling circumstances by way of provocation".[3]
West Coast won this match by 31 points, and Michael Braun was awarded the Ross Glendinning Medal, ending his acceptance speech with "Let's have a fucking good year", which was broadcast on live television and to the 42,551 in attendance.[4] Braun was fined $500 by the Eagles, but the AFL intervened, severely reprimanded the Eagles and fined Braun $5000.[5][6]
In the lead up to Selwood's Mothers' Day round 7 match against Geelong, Selwood officially apologized to women, and claimed that he didn't mean what he had said to Headland four weeks earlier. Paradoxically, he also claimed that he was badly treated by the media because he was innocent of the charges in the Headland saga and he should have just been allowed to prove his innocence.[7] West Coast would go on to lose its first game for season 2007 by 39 points against the eventual premiers Geelong.
Source: Stats.rleague.com
The closest finish to a derby occurred in Round 18, 2011 when Eagles midfielder Matt Rosa was penalised by umpire Dean Margetts in a deliberate out of bounds decision with West Coast leading by two points in the dying seconds. Having earnt a free kick from the decision, Hayden Ballantyne had a chance to win the game for Fremantle with a shot after the siren from 50m out on a tight angle and whilst his drop punt looked a goal for much of its journey, it hit the padding on the right hand goalpost[8] amid a sea of hands from both sides, leaving the Eagles the winners by a single point, 8.17 (65) to Fremantle's 9.10 (64).[9]
This proved to be the catalyst for both sides as the season wound down. Fremantle slid down the ladder, losing the next six matches in succession to end a disappointing season, whilst West Coast went on to win their remaining regular season matches. It must be noted that West Coast had lost the week before against St Kilda whilst Fremantle defeated Sydney away in Sydney.
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