WEST Coast threw its best punch but was ultimately outmuscled by Fremantle in a spiteful Western Derby on Saturday night, with the Dockers' winning an entertaining clash at Optus Stadium by 24 points.

With the crosstown rivals at opposite ends of the ladder, the Eagles played with a relentless pressure and physical edge that levelled the playing field and briefly looked capable of ruining Fremantle's top-four hopes.

But it proved unsustainable against the finals-bound Dockers, who were able to get the game on their terms in the second half and ground out their third Derby win on the trot, winning 9.17 (71) to 7.5 (47).

DOCKERS v EAGLES Full match coverage and stats

The win secures a home final for the Dockers for the first time since their last September appearance in 2015 and keeps their chances of securing a double-chance alive.

Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy won the Glendinning-Allan Medal for his dominant performance in the ruck, winning a career-high 57 hitouts and giving his team a significant clearance advantage.

The match was also a celebration of retiring champion David Mundy, who won a game-high eight clearances to go with 25 disposals (12 contested), showing typical class in the wet conditions. 

Midfielders Will Brodie (27 and seven clearances) and Caleb Serong (25 and five) were important, while Michael Walters enjoyed moments of class to kick two goals. 

West Coast defender Tom Barrass challenged Darcy for best afield honours, blanketing Rory Lobb and holding the Dockers tall goalless and to just seven disposals.

Lobb was eventually substituted after re-aggravating a shoulder injury he suffered last month, putting him in doubt for next Saturday's clash against Greater Western Sydney.

Premiership captain Shannon Hurn continued a fine season, finishing with 28 disposals and nine rebound 50s, with young midfielder Xavier O'Neill (19 and 11 tackles) playing one of his more impressive games for the club.

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Following a record 11-game Derby winning streak for West Coast between 2015-2021, the Dockers now look to be entering a period of Derby dominance themselves.

But the Eagles made their intent clear from the opening bounce, with midfield inclusion Jackson Nelson sent to Andrew Brayshaw in a hard tag that involved a lot of off-the-ball work. 

Playing like they had a point to prove, the underdogs set the physical tone for the game all over the ground before tensions boiled over 10 minutes in with a melee on the wing.

Serong took it upon himself to support Brayshaw physically, and he was at the centre of both the play and the off-the-ball scuffles. He won 10 disposals for the quarter and kicked a superb running goal from 55m, but also gave away a 150m penalty after an altercation with Jack Redden.

The young star did it all with a ripped jumper that was hanging on by a thread as the Dockers went to the first break trailing by two points.

West Coast continued its high-pressure assault in the second quarter as both teams struggled to score in the wet conditions, with Walters converting on the run to break the deadlock after nine minutes.

Jack Darling, who had struggled to get free of opponent Alex Pearce, converted a set shot from 50m to snatch back the lead before Blake Acres snapped a brilliant stoppage goal to send his team into the main break three points clear.

While the first half was an arm wrestle with both teams creating their share of chances, the third quarter was all Fremantle, with the Dockers dominating the inside 50s (19-11) and contested ball (43-30).

They kicked a wayward 2.8, however, missing several gettable snaps as Barrass and Hurn did all they could to hold back the tide, combining for 18 disposals for the quarter and seven rebound 50s. 

As impressive as the Eagles' defenders were though, they couldn't spark the team offensively and they didn't look threatening at any stage in the final term, kicking only one goal as the Dockers secured an important four points.

Doing it for Dave 
Upon announcing his retirement earlier this month, Mundy said he just wanted six more wins. He has two of them now secured, with the most recent coming in what was a celebration of the champion midfielder in his final home and away game in Perth. The Fremantle crowd saluted Mundy at the 16-minute mark of the opening quarter with a standing ovation and rose every time he was near the ball. The cheer squad nailed his banner this time, too, with their tribute reading: "A legend of our club, a champion of our game. The end of an era, it will never be the same". At the end of the game, Mundy was chaired through a guard of honour by teammates Griffin Logue and Alex Pearce in what was a special occasion in the club's history. 

West Coast ramps up the pressure 
If there's one thing the Eagles could control on Saturday night, it was their physicality and they hit the Dockers with everything they could. Having averaged 58 tackles a game this season, they relished the slippery conditions and racked up 51 in the first half alone before finishing with 82. It continues a recent trend for Adam Simpson's team as it tries to forge a new identity built around pressure and holding its own in the contest. It was also a welcome sight one week after the emotional exit of Josh Kennedy and the potential hangover that threatened to make this game one-sided. 

Dockers get their wet-weather game going 
The rain started early and made for slippery, muddy conditions for the entire night, which would normally have spelt trouble for the Dockers this season. But unlike previous clashes in the wet that have seen him try to continue picking through their opposition, the Dockers played a better brand in the conditions and should gain confidence from that aspect. They took risks, ran with the ball when they could and kicked long at the right times. If it wasn't for the repeated missed opportunities in the third quarter, it would have been a much heathier win. 

FREMANTLE        3.4   5.6   7.14   9.17 (71)
WEST COAST        4.0   5.2   6.3   7.5 (47)  

GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 2, Frederick 2, Acres, Brayshaw, Darcy, Schultz, Serong
West Coast: Waterman 2, Darling, Dixon, Langdon, O'Neill, Redden 

BEST
Fremantle: Darcy, Mundy, Brodie, Serong, Acres, Walters, Pearce  
West Coast: Barrass, Hurn, Duggan, O'Neill, Shuey, Bazzo

INJURIES
Fremantle: Lobb (shoulder)
West Coast: Jones (back) 

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Bailey Banfield (replaced Rory Lobb in the fourth quarter)
West Coast: Greg Clark (replaced Jamaine Jones in the third quarter)