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WESTERN Derbies are rarely tame affairs, and Sunday's 42nd installment lived up to its billing as one of footy's fiercest rivalries. The Eagles' upset 34-point win over the season's runaway leaders came at a cost, courtesy of yet another injury to a key defender and an off-the-ball clash which left Jamie Cripps with a likely fractured jaw. Here's how AFL.com.au's Ashley Browne scored the fight. 

Punches landed

Fremantle 
The Dockers got some game time into Nat Fyfe and Michael Johnson, which will be key in the run home to the finals, particularly Johnson who hadn't played for eight weeks. Michael Walters was dangerous with four goals and for much of the afternoon, appeared to be his club's only likely match-winner.

Alex Silvagni's crude elbow to the jaw of Jamie Cripps is not the sort of 'punch' the Dockers wanted landed. He will miss weeks and leave the Dockers vulnerable down back if Luke McPharlin is unable to return.

West Coast
The Eagles have great depth. No Nic Naitanui, no problem, although with Scott Lycett sore they'll be relieved to have Naitanui back next week. Mark LeCras missed with suspension, so Josh Hill chimed in with four goals. And the backline stood up wonderfully well. There wasn't a great deal of height there, but with the Eagles it is all about the system and the system worked.

Technical weaknesses

Fremantle 
The Dockers came with a flurry in the final quarter and kicked six goals, but they only kicked five up until then. Their final score was 11.14, but they're going to need to get to about 100 points to give themselves a real chance of knocking over the Hawks, Eagles and we suspect, the Bulldogs in the finals. Matthew Pavlich booted two goals and battled hard, but Freo would love another reliable tall forward to clunk the ball and add to the firepower.

West Coast 

How many more injuries can the West Coast backline sustain? Eric Mackenzie and Mitch Brown are long gone, Jeremy McGovern hurt his hamstring again last week and now Will Schofield has a leg injury. With the Eagles it's all about the newfangled defensive web, but so many of the key components are going down that you wonder how sustainable it is. With Cripps also now likely to be sidelined, they are due some good news on the injury front.

What do they take away from this?

Fremantle
In hindsight, the Dockers were always going to lose at least once more before the end of the home and away season. Teams just so rarely go through the home and away season with just two losses, so 19-3 or perhaps 18-4 will likely be a truer indication of Freo's home and away season. But they'll enter the finals on the back of defeats against their two main rivals for the silverware – the Hawks and Eagles – and need to find a way to kick 100 points a game.

West Coast
The Eagles eradicated any lingering doubts about their toughness and their backline in what was a willing clash. They have ample depth to make a push for the flag and would look at their two main rivals for the premiership – Hawthorn and Fremantle – and believe they're beatable based on the evidence of the past fortnight.

The Dockers will win the flag if ...
They can find another three goals per game. They looked dangerous in the final term when circumstances dictated all-out attack. 100 points a game makes it an even-money bet with the Hawks and Eagles.

The Eagles will win the flag if ...
They finish top two and beat Hawthorn in a qualifying final. The Hawks would then likely have to travel twice to Western Australia in a three-week period to make the Grand Final – and that might be beyond a brilliant but ageing side. Apart from the Hawks, the Eagles could beat anyone on the MCG in a Grand Final.

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