What happens out there at Subi on Saturday is the same thing that happens for two hours every weekend. What you're playing for, in essence, is still the same. It shouldn't be approached any differently.
But for fans it's a completely different story. The build-up is immense and the bragging rights highly sought after.
Preparation will always be the same for the players, but the bragging rights theme is hardly lost on us. We live in this town too and the rivalry exists on both sides of the fence.
We'll come face to face with the fans throughout the week, and they'll either want to look after you and give you a tap on the bum, or – if they're an Eagles supporter, they'll want to kill you.
And fair enough – we've got a good record over West Coast of late. To continue down that path will be really important for us this weekend.
Another challenge is dealing with the amount of media we have to do in derby week. Players are called on for a range of commitments with the club and sponsors. They are elements that have to be done – that's part of playing in the AFL – but I think they can be distractions to some people.
Understanding that is probably the first thing we need to do as players and then secondly hoping it doesn't become a greater distraction for the normal preparation.
One of the other things to get your head around is playing on Subiaco Oval with a crowd predominately cheering against you.
This week's West Coast home game will certainly be different, but I think that's the great thing about playing in a derby, you get contrasting crowd noise. And of course even though the vast majority will be West Coast supporters this weekend, there will be some support for us there.
It's a marginally bigger stage, there's no question. There's a bit more scrutiny both in terms of the media and public attention and some of these games have been the most intense games I've played in.
But playing football is about playing in finals and performing in finals. This isn't a finals game and that is the most paramount point.
It will certainly be special to run out for my 200th game in a derby. I've tried to keep it as low profile as I can and get on with a normal week of footy, but I'll definitely reflect on it on Saturday night with my Mum, Dad, sister and a couple of mates who have all flown in for the game.
200 games is certainly a reward for consistency and being able to stick at it for nine to 10 years, so it's something I'm proud of. But leading up to it, it's all about preparing and planning as best we can to beat the Eagles.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
