Freo downed in dour derby
Fremantle has suffered a 48-point loss to West Coast at Patersons Stadium on Sunday
FREMANTLE has fallen outside the top eight after a 48-point loss to West Coast at Patersons Stadium on Sunday.
Despite the Eagles failing to kick a goal until eight minutes into the second quarter and trailing by eight points midway through the term, they blew away Fremantle from there on.
West Coast piled on 63 of the next 64 points to secure the 11.18 (84) to 5.6 (36) triumph in front of 40,905 fans.
Fremantle's scoreline was its lowest ever against West Coast, failing to beat the 6.9 (45) they posted in 1996 and 2004.
It was also the lowest score ever recorded at Patersons Stadium by a 'home' team since the ground began hosting VFL football in 1987.
The defensive effort from the Eagles was a fitting way for Worsfold to mark his 244th game in charge, surpassing Mick Malthouse as the club's longest serving coach.
Eagles midfielder Matt Rosa (43 possessions, one goal, nine inside 50s) won the Ross Glendinning medal as best afield.
Although Fremantle is still in the finals hunt at 5-4, it faces a horror month ahead with games against Adelaide (home), Richmond (MCG), Essendon (home) and Collingwood (MCG).
The Eagles (8-1) sit atop of the table on percentage and face the struggling Brisbane Lions at the Gabba next Sunday.
A week after losing the clearances 48-24 in their 56-point loss to Hawthorn, the Dockers lost the key area 14-0 in the second quarter.
But it was the third quarter where the true damage was done.
After booting just two goals in a congested opening half, the Eagles blew the game wide open with 5.6 to 0.1 in the third term as Fremantle's disciplined shut-down plan fell apart.
Defender Will Schofield got things started with a fantastic running goal which started from defence, while Josh Hill and Jack Darling booted two goals apiece for the term.
West Coast skipper Darren Glass played a sensational role in defence, while Fremantle backmen Luke McPharlin and Michael Johnson were crucial in the first half but couldn't halt the second-half onslaught
Dockers captain Matthew Pavlich played an influential role through the middle in the first half, but was quiet thereafter.
WEST COAST 0.4 2.8 7.14 11.18 (84)
FREMANTLE 1.1 3.2 3.3 5.6 (36)
GOALS
West Coast: Hill 3, Darling 2, Priddis, Naitanui, Schofield, Lynch, Rosa, Shuey
Fremantle: Ballantyne, Clarke, Mayne, de Boer, Dawson
BEST
West Coast: Rosa, Glass, Shuey, Gaff, Waters, Hurn, Hill
Fremantle: Johnson, Broughton, Pavlich, McPharlin, Barlow
INJURIES
West Coast: Butler (leg)
Fremantle: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Jacob Brennan replaced Sam Butler in the third quarter
Fremantle: Jay van Berlo replaced Jon Griffin in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Margetts, Dalgleish
Official crowd: 40,905 at Patersons Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs