Western Derby

The Western Derby (pronEng|ˈdɝbiː) is the name given to the Australian Football League match between the Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles football clubs. As both teams are based in Western Australia, the derby term is used to describe the match.

There are two Western Derbies every year during the home and away season. In recent years the derby has been part of the "AFL Rivalry Round". There has never been a Western Derby finals match.

West Coast were the dominant team during Fremantle's initial years, winning the first nine derbies. However since Fremantle won their first Western Derby in July, 1999 it has been nine wins each. Fremantle are also are the incumbent holders of the Western Derby Trophy, having beaten West Coast by 33 points in Round 18 2008.

The player adjudged "best player" in each derby match is awarded the Ross Glendinning Medal, named after former West Coast Eagles player and Fremantle Dockers Chairman of selectors Ross Glendinning.

As of 2008, these two teams will play each other usually in the first Sunday of October, in remembrance of West Coast club legend Chris Mainwaring, who died on October 1, 2007. The Eagles, known as the OWLS (Older, wiser, larger and stronger) for the match, defeated the Dockers, known as the SALTS, by the score of 16.11 (107) - 12.10 (82). These tribute matches do not count towards the overall Western Derby count.

Controversial derbies

Round 21, 2000

An infamous derby occurred in round 21, 2000. Both clubs were out of finals contention, the derby earlier in the year had recorded the biggest ever margin (Scott Cummings' 10 goals led West Coast to a 117 point thrashing) and in the lead up both teams were talking down the importance of the game with the standard line of "it's only worth 4 points". However, Clive Waterhouse indicated that something different might happen by saying that "blood would be spilled". [http://www.corkintheocean.com/wordpress/?m=200404]

Before the first bounce, West Coast, through Michael Gardiner, went on the attack, pushing and shoving first year player Matthew Pavlich. The umpires awarded a free kick to Pavlich before the ball was bounced. However West Coast settled and led by 4 goals at quarter time with goals to Phillip Read, Andrew Embley and three to Phil Matera. Two goals to Mitchell White, a fourth goal for Matera and one to Chad Morrison in the second quarter saw West Coast go to the half time break a comfortable 32 points in front. Fremantle's forward line was struggling, with only 4 goals to half time, including two to Waterhouse, and singles to midfielders Heath Black and Troy Cook.

At half time, numerous fights broke out which resulted in one of longest tribunal records in recent times. Suspensions and fines handed out were: [ [http://www.afana.com/afl/johnson/afl_jl_000806.html AFANA AFL News August 06, 2000] ]

*Michael Gardiner for striking Matthew Pavlich, 2 match suspension
*Dale Kickett was suspended for a total of nine weeks on three striking charges on Phillip Read and Andrew Embley.
*Brad Dodd for attempted striking Phil Read, 2 matches
*Phillip Read for striking Brad Dodd, 2 matches
*Fremantle's Heath Black, Paul Hasleby, Shaun McManus, Clem Michael, Jason Norrish, Jess Sinclair and Andrew Shipp; and West Coast's Ben Cousins, Andrew Embley, Kane Munro, Michael Gardiner and Phillip Read were all reported for melee involvement and apart from Embley and Farmer who were found not guilty, fined between $2000 and $4000 each.

Phil Matera kicked his 5th goal shortly after half time, bringing the Eagles lead to 42 points, but Fremantle surged to cut the margin to 18 points at three quarter time with three goals to Clive Waterhouse and singles to Pavlich and Daniel Bandy. The last quarter saw Phil Matera carried from the ground, not from a repeat of the earlier violence, but by colliding with umpire Steven Handley. A solid, but legal shirtfront by Troy Cook saw Mitchell White also carried from the ground. A six goal to three final quarter including another two to Waterhouse and singles to Koops, Shipp, and ironically Kickett and Dodd saw Fremantle hit the lead by two points. With only seconds to spare the Eagles pushed forward and a loose ball was unable to be gathered in by makeshift forward Darren Glass resulting in a rushed behind and a one point victory for Fremantle, only their 2nd ever in a Western Derby.

The following week both teams were beaten well, with Fremantle thrashed by Brisbane by 107 points and Melbourne winning by 70 points over the Eagles at Subiaco.

Round 3, 2007

The round 3, 2007 match will be remembered as one of the most spiteful derbies ever played. Nearing three-quarter time, Fremantle's Des Headland was reported by umpire Stuart Wenn for striking and wrestling with West Coast's Adam Selwood, who allegedly made an inappropriate comment about a tattoo on Headland's arm which depicted the Fremantle player's six-year-old daughter.

The case was heard on 18 April, with Selwood cleared of using abusive language towards Headland. Headland was found guilty of both striking and wrestling with Selwood, but was not suspended because of "exceptional and compelling circumstances by way of provocation". [Burgan, M; [http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=41502 A Night at the Tribunal] ; April 19, 2007]

West Coast won this match by 31 points, and Michael Braun was awarded the Ross Glendinning Medal. During his acceptance speech, he said to his teammates: "Let's have a f***ing good year!" [sic] [ [http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=261266 Braun no help to the Eagles cause, Tony Jones, Ninemsn; April 16, 2007] ] . He was then fined $500 by the Eagles for his actions, but the AFL intervened, invalidated the $500 fine and instead fined him $5000. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/West-Coast-concede-error-over-Braun-fine/2007/04/21/1176697150251.html West Coast concede error over Braun fine, AAP, The Age; April 21, 2007] ] [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/West-Coasts-Braun-fined-5000-by-AFL/2007/04/16/1176696746683.html smh] ]

In the lead up to Selwood's round 7 match against Geelong, which happened to be on Mothers' Day, Selwood officially apologized to women and claimed that he didn't mean what he had said to Headland four weeks earlier. [Hagdorn, K; [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21721875-2,00.html 'Slut' allegation AFL player says sorry to women] ; May 13, 2007; Retrieved on June 22, 2007]

Home and away season derby results

"Source: http://stats.rleague.com/afl/teams/fremantle/allgames_tm.html"

References