Fremantle set the game up in the opening term when they pulled out to a 24 point lead heading into the first break. It grew to 39 points at the half and was not seriously challenged with West Coast struggling to reduce the deficit below five goals in the second half.
In what was a contest riddled with the expected pre-season cobwebs Des Headland (21 possessions) had strong showings as both a midfielder and forward, collecting 14 possessions and a nine point supergoal to half-time. Daniel Gilmore lead the possession tally with 23 for the match, while Brent Jones lead the way for West Coast with 21.
Paul Hasleby sent a scare through the Fremantle camp 10 minutes into the third quarter when he was stretchered from the ground with what appeared to be a knee injury after falling awkwardly between two West Coast opponents. In a sign it may not be too serious, he flashed his teammates the thumbs up as he went around the boundary and down into the changerooms.
West Coast’s Matt Priddis went unseen in the second half with a suspected right calf injury.
Both teams will be heartened with the performances of their younger talent. Rhys Palmer collected 14 disposals and a goal from limited game time and Marcus Drum had 20 disposals for Fremantle, while West Coast young gun Jamie McNamara had 16 touches and Scott Selwood 15.
David Mundy got the scoring underway in the first term with a nine point supergoal from hard in the right forward pocket five minutes into the term. A Hasleby goal minutes later took the lead to 19 points before David Wirrpunda opened West Coast’s tally with a soccer goal at the 14 minute mark.
Jeff Farmer goaled at the 16 minute mark to stretch the lead to 18 points before Adam Campbell capitalised at the 23 minute mark through a free kick.
Palmer and Clayton Hinkley got their first taste of derby action midway through the term, with Rhys offering some encouraging signs early with some clean inside 50 disposals.
Eagles forward Chad Jones kicked truly to register the first of West Coast’s three second quarter goals in the opening minute. His effort was matched soon after at the city end when Josh Carr spotted David Mundy in the corridor and went back and converted from 15m.
As had been the case in the opening stanza, both clubs trialled players in unfamiliar positions with perhaps Marcus Drum’s move into defence and onto Quinten Lynch in the second term the most unexpected.
Ashley Hansen goaled from the goalsquare to reduce West Coast’s deficit to 24 points but it only proved the next link in the chain as the teams went goal for goal. Hasleby kicked his second courtesy of a free kick before some Mark Johnson fancy footwork ended with Headland kicking the second supergoal of the match to take the margin out beyond 30 points.
Dean Solomon (21 possessions) added to the growing goal kickers list for Fremantle late in the term before Mark LeCras made the breakthrough for West Coast to end their 17 minute goal drought just before the half time siren.
Final term majors to Farmer, Michael Johnson, Pavlich and Palmer ensured their 33 point three quarter time lead remained unchallenged to help set up the convincing win and a meeting with the Crows next weekend.
Fremantle 2.12.0.14 (104)
West Coast 1.7.0.9 (60)
