WEST Coast's doubters won't be silenced yet, but the Eagles responded to a week under the blowtorch and protected their home fortress with a commanding 41-point Western Derby triumph over Fremantle on Saturday night. 

After copping intense scrutiny following a hammering from Hawthorn at the MCG, the Eagles returned to their happy hunting ground and brought the Dockers' three-game winning streak to a screeching halt in a one-sided affair.

Despite a huge build-up with both sides at 3-2, Saturday night's clash was a let-down and effectively over by quarter-time.

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The Eagles, tagged 'flat-track bullies' again this week, came out like David Warner on the first morning of a WACA Test match and whacked their crosstown rivals with a seven-goal-to-one term, before cruising home 16.7 (103) to 9.8 (62).

It was a morale-boosting win, but coach Adam Simpson will be under no illusions the real tests await away from the comforts of Domain Stadium.

"It was a good response after a disappointing week and we thought Freo was a difficult challenge, they'd won three-in-a-row and were up and about," Simpson said post-match.

"To start the way we did was really pleasing. I thought we lowered our colours in the second half.

"But it probably leaves us with more questions than answers about where we're at."

Fremantle was disappointing in giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands' 250th game, with the Dockers lacking their trademark frenetic pressure and succumbing to their fourth-straight Derby defeat.

West Coast's aerial threat always looked likely to pose a problem for the Dockers, and Jeremy McGovern, Elliot Yeo (32 disposals, 14 marks) and Josh Kennedy dominated the skies.

Five talking points: West Coast v Fremantle

McGovern finished with 13 marks, while Kennedy won back-to-back Ross Glendinning Medals and gave Joel Hamling more nightmares after booting six majors.

There was no doubting the pre-game message for West Coast, with the cheer squad's banner screaming "Intent", and Simpson's men were red-hot early.

After barely being sighted against Hawthorn, Kennedy was on the board within two minutes and the floodgates flew open.

The dual Coleman medallist, sidekick Jack Darling and poacher Josh Hill each slotted two majors in the opening term, and Cam McCarthy's snap at the other end did nothing to halt the blue and gold tsunami.

The ruthlessly efficient Eagles looked threatening every time they went inside 50, registering nine scores from 11 inside 50s, while Freo had just three from 12 as West Coast took a 36-point lead into the first break.

"The first quarter (was where) the game was won and lost," Dockers coach Ross Lyon said. 

"That’s often the case, after that I thought our endeavour didn’t wane, if anything it stepped up throughout the game so that was pleasing."

Lyon read the riot act at quarter-time – offering robust advice to Ethan Hughes, who was on Darling – and Freo locked down.

The Dockers' quarter-time address was no Ross Lyon love-in. Picture: AFL Photos

But scoring proved a major stumbling block.

McGovern was impassable in West Coast's defence, and McCarthy played a lone hand with three majors as the Dockers went into half-time 45 points adrift.

Freo won the third term by a point and final quarter by three but never looked like mounting a challenge.

The best Freo mustered after half-time was consecutive goals to Shane Kersten, reducing the margin to 38 before Kennedy's fifth snuffed out any hope of a comeback.

The Dockers clearly missed Stephen Hill's class and stars Nat Fyfe (19 disposals), who was tailed by Yeo in patches, Lachie Neale (29) and David Mundy (17) couldn't take full toll of Sandilands' dominant tapwork.

A winged Nathan Vardy and Jonathan Giles, recalled after the Hawks debacle, conceded a mountain of hit-outs (52-25) to the Freo giant but competed enough to give their onballers a chance at ground level.

Luke Shuey continued his stellar season with 28 disposals, after Connor Blakely had the Eagles dangerman's measure and 22 touches of his own at half-time.

Sam Mitchell returned and battled through a sore ankle to finish with 28 possessions and 10 clearances in his first Derby, but ex-Hawks teammate Bradley Hill had limited impact with 20 disposals.

Freo's night could be further soured after Fyfe's swinging arm caught Yeo high and dazed the Eagles star at a stoppage. The incident will certainly be looked at by the Match Review Panel.

West Coast's win improved the club's Western Derby lead to 25-20 overall, with only one more clash to come at Domain Stadium before football moves to Perth Stadium in 2018.

MEDICAL ROOM
West Coast: The Eagles were battered and bruised. Vardy looks set for a stint on the sidelines after hyper-extending his elbow and will be scanned on Sunday. Mitchell's ankle is sore after being rushed back from a painful injury, while young onballer Liam Duggan (corked leg) and debutant Kurt Mutimer (knee) were tender post-match.

Fremantle: The Dockers appeared to escape unscathed.

NEXT UP
The Eagles face red-hot Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, where they've won four of their five games, at twilight on Saturday in a crunch road test, while the Dockers host Essendon in the final match of round seven next Sunday.



WEST COAST   7.2   10.5   13.6   16.7 (103)
FREMANTLE     1.2    3.2     6.4     9.8 (62)

GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 6, LeCras 3, Hill 3, Darling 2, Duggan, Priddis.
Fremantle: McCarthy 3, Kersten 2, Balic, Grey, Neale, Johnson. 

BEST 
West Coast: McGovern, Yeo, Kennedy, Priddis, Gaff, Butler.
Fremantle:  Blakely, Neale, Fyfe, Langdon, Johnson, Sandilands. 

INJURIES 
West Coast: Vardy (elbow), Mutimer (knee), Duggan (corked leg)
Fremantle: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Dalgleish, Fisher

Official crowd:  40,836 at Domain Stadium