West Coast has won the historic first Western Derby at Optus Stadium and stamped itself as a serious AFL finals contender.

After controversy about the Ross Glendinning Medal in the build-up, the contest lived up to the billing as a ferocious and absorbing affair, with the Eagles just holding off the Freo Dockers in a 13.11 (89) to 12.9 (81) triumph.

It was the Eagles' sixth-straight win over their crosstown rivals, with the victory consolidating their position in second spot on the ladder.

In a quirky finish after Fremantle lobbied to have a club great's name added to the Glendinning Medal, the award was shared by players from opposing sides, with Eagles skipper Shannon Hurn and Freo ball magnet Lachie Neale splitting the judge's votes.  

Hurn was rock-solid across half-back, finishing with 30 disposals, while Neale kept Fremantle in the hunt with 35 touches.

Freo were left to rue a knee injury suffered by star goalkicker Michael Walters in the first quarter, with Ross Lyon's men unable to find a reliable avenue to goal.

West Coast spearhead Josh Kennedy and sidekick Jack Darling both slotted three majors, capitalising on the Eagles' inside 50 dominance (55-45).

"I thought the Eagles early played the territory game, they got it in and they were really hard at the ball (with) really strong tackling," Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon said post-match.

"Our efficiency getting it out wasn't great - which can happen - but we overplayed where we just needed to take some territory (and) take the one-on-ones out."

Fittingly for the first Derby at Optus Stadium, neither team gained a telling ascendancy throughout a seesawing match, with the four points hanging in the balance until the final minute.

The Eagles led by 20 points into time-on of the final quarter when Kennedy slotted his third after a tough duel with Alex Pearce.

But the Dockers, willed on by a state record sporting crowd of 56,521, refused to give up.

Hayden Ballantyne and Darcy Tucker's late majors gave Freo hope, but the Eagles held on in the tense final stages for their fifth win in a row this season, ending the Dockers' unbeaten streak at WA football's new home.

Sunday's match was hot off the field – with the mercury topping 30 degrees – and just as fiery on it, with tempers flaring throughout the contest.

But the Dockers started to take risks and it paid off as they scored from every one of seven inside 50s for the term and a burst of four unanswered goals gave Ross Lyon's men a deserved 20-point edge at the first change.

In-form Eagle Jack Darling swung the match with three majors as West Coast put the foot down in a five-goal-to-one second term, hitting the front by eight points at the long break.

Both sides traded blows in the third term, but the Eagles' burst of three quick goals after the final change gave them just enough breathing space, which they carried to the end.

Jack Redden (34 disposals, one goal) provided excellent support for midfield stars Luke Shuey (27, one goal) and Andrew Gaff (32), while Elliot Yeo quelled Nat Fyfe (27) after the superstar Docker's outstanding start. 
Ed Langdon provided plenty of run to spark Freo, while Luke Ryan was superb across half-back.

West Coast's ruck duo Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett, who played arguably his best game, again commanded the air against man mountain Aaron Sandilands, as the Eagles edged out their overall derby lead 27-20. 

MEDICAL ROOM
Fremantle: Michael Walters hobbled late in the opening term and his day was over when he limped to the rooms at quarter-time, clearly troubled by his left knee – the same leg he injured when he suffered a season-ending posterior cruciate ligament issue in round 18 last year. Alex Pearce came off in the first quarter for treatment on his lower right leg but returned after having strapping applied. Luke Ryan came off early in the last quarter with an apparent wrist injury after Shannon Hurn kicked the ball clear.

West Coast: Elliot Yeo and Tom Cole came off with the blood rule in the second quarter but the Eagles otherwise got through unscathed. 

NEXT UP
The Eagles have the chance to stay home and recuperate from a bruising encounter before taking on Port Adelaide next Saturday afternoon as they prepare for a testing month, while Fremantle will take some confidence to the MCG against Richmond after beating the reigning premier at the home of football in an after-the-siren epic last year.

FREMANTLE          4.3    5.4    9.7     12.9 (81)                  
WEST COAST        1.1    6.6   10.7    13.11 (89)           

GOALS
Fremantle: McCarthy 2, Langdon 2, Ballantyne 2, Tucker 2, Walters, Matera, Mundy, Brayshaw
West Coast: Darling 3, Kennedy 3, Waterman 2, LeCras, Shuey, Redden, Sheed, Yeo

BEST 
Fremantle: Neale, Langdon, Blakely, Ryan, Hill, Fyfe
West Coast: Hurn, Lycett, Gaff, Darling, McGovern, Redden 

INJURIES 
Fremantle: Walters (left knee)
West Coast: Jetta (calf)

Reports: Nil 
Umpires: Margetts, Dalgleish, Wallace
Official crowd: 56,521

Ross Glendinning Medal 
Jonathan Brown (Fox Sports)
3 votes - Shannon Hurn 
2 votes - Lachie Neale 
1 vote - Andrew Gaff 

Paul Hasleby (Croc Media / 6PR)
3 votes - Lachie Neale 
2 votes - Andrew Gaff 
1 vote - Jack Redden 

Travis King (AFL Media)
3 votes - Shannon Hurn 
2 votes - Scott Lycett 
1 vote - Lachie Neale

Total votes
6 - Shannon Hurn, Lachie Neale 
3 - Andrew Gaff 
2 - Scott Lycett 
1 - Jack Redden