A night of high drama at Subiaco Oval before a bumper crowd of more than 32,000 saw the West Coast Eagles defeat a dogged Fremantle 1.13.13 (100) to 1.11.8 (83).
After the long break, West Coast started the second half with 19 men on the ground, but it realised its error before the umpires or Fremantle noticed. Glen Jakovich quickly left the playing arena.
Fremantle football manager Steven Icke was in animated discussion with AFL official Rod Austin during the third term, but it is believed West Coast will survive without penalty because the Dockers failed to ask the umpires for a head-count before Jakovich left the field.
It was simply another piece of theatre in a matched that was played on a knife’s edge.
Afterwards, West Coast coach John Worsfold said the extra numbers on the interchange bench was a good excuse - and that he was happy to use it - but it appears the reality was that Jakovich lost concentration when heading back on the field.
“We didn’t have the extra player up on the field on the board, when we showed the players before we went out, but somehow an extra one snuck out there,” Worsfold said.
“He’s pretty quick Jako – he got off pretty quick.”
The main benefit of the local derby - besides the crowd - was that the game was played in an atmosphere of high intensity, with players throwing themselves at the ball as if it was an elimination final.
Late in the game, the heat began to take its toll with players cramping up all over the ground.
Earlier, star Fremantle midfielder Matthew Pavlich kicked the first nine-pointer of the match when he drilled one from beyond the arc at the four-minute mark of the last term.
Both sets of supporters would have been happy with their star recruits, with Des Headland looking good for the Dockers – he topped their possessions at half-time – and Daniel Chick working well for West Coast.
There were no first-quarter blues for the Dockers, who burst out of the blocks with six goals to West Coast’s three.
It was a battle of the midfields, as Headland, skipper Peter Bell, Paul Hasleby, and Shaun McManus dominated in the first term, despite West Coast’s Michael Gardiner dominating in the ruck.
Josh Wooden’s dash along the member’s wing before he speared a pin-point pass to Chris Judd – which Judd duly converted - was superb.
Fremantle’s much-vaunted midfield was given a spanking in the second term as West Coast fired up, with Chad Fletcher, Andrew Embley, Drew Banfield, Chris Judd, Ben Cousins, Michael Braun and Daniel Kerr topping the disposals for the blue-and-gold.
The teams swapped goals in the third term but in the last the Dockers went ahead with a Matthew Pavlich goal. Then a nine-pointer to Gardiner gave West Coast the breathing space it needed.
West Coast now travels to Darwin to play the winner of the Adelaide-Port Adelaide clash, while Fremantle plays Richmond in Geraldton next weekend.
WEST COAST EAGLES: 0.3.3 0.9.6 0.11.8 1.13.13 (100)
FREMANTLE: 0.6.3 0.7.7 0.9.8 1.11.8 (83)
Nine-point goals: West Coast: M Gardiner 1 Fremantle: M Pavlich 1
Six-point goals: West Coast: C Judd 2, D Chick 2, P Matera 2, T Wilson 2, J Humm 1, K Munro 1, D Adkins 1, C Fletcher 1. Fremantle: M Pavlich 2, Croad 2, M Pavlich 2S McManus 1, D Headland 1, T Longmuir 1, P Bell 1, P Medhurst 1, L Webster 1, J Farmer 1.
Best: West Coast: A T Embley, C Fletcher, C Judd, P Wilson, D Chick. Fremantle: P Haselby, P Bell, M Pavlich, D Headland, T Longmuir.
Umpires: Corcoran, Thussey, Margets.
Crowd: 32,701
Injuries: West Coast: P Matera (twisted ankle, corked buttock) J Wooden (hamstring)Fremantle: Nil
Reports: Nil
At Subiaco Oval
