West Coast responded to a week of scrutiny with a commanding 41-point Carlton Draught Derby triumph over Fremantle on Saturday night.

The Eagles kicked things off with a seven-goal-to-one term, before cruising home 16.7 (103) to 9.8 (62).

It was a morale-boosting win, but coach Adam Simpson will be under no illusions the real tests await away from the comforts of Domain Stadium.

Fremantle was disappointing in ruckman Aaron Sandilands' 250th game, with the Freo Dockers lacking their trademark frenetic pressure.

West Coast's aerial threat always looked likely to pose a problem for Fremantle, and Jeremy McGovern, Elliot Yeo (32 disposals, 14 marks) and Josh Kennedy dominated the skies.

McGovern finished with 13 marks, while Kennedy won back-to-back Ross Glendinning Medals and booted six majors.

There was no doubting the pre-game message for West Coast, with the cheer squad's banner screaming "Intent", and Simpson's men were red-hot early.

Kennedy was on the board within two minutes and the floodgates opened.

The dual Coleman medallist, sidekick Jack Darling and poacher Josh Hill each slotted two majors in the opening term, and Cam McCarthy's snap at the other end did nothing to halt the blue and gold tsunami.

The Eagles looked threatening every time they went inside 50, registering nine scores from 11 inside 50s, while Freo had just three from 12 as West Coast took a 36-point lead into the first break.

"The first quarter (was where) the game was won and lost," Freo Dockers coach Ross Lyon said.

"That’s often the case, after that I thought our endeavour didn’t wane, if anything it stepped up throughout the game so that was pleasing."

Ross Lyon read the riot act at quarter-time – offering robust advice to Ethan Hughes, who was on Darling – and Freo locked down.

But scoring proved a major stumbling block.

McGovern was impassable in West Coast's defence, and McCarthy played a lone hand with three majors as the Fremantle Dockers went into half-time 45 points adrift.

Freo won the third term by a point and final quarter by three but never looked like mounting a challenge.

The best Freo mustered after half-time was consecutive goals to Shane Kersten, reducing the margin to 38 before Kennedy's fifth snuffed out any hope of a comeback.

Fremantle clearly missed Stephen Hill's class and stars Nat Fyfe (19 disposals), who was tailed by Yeo in patches, Lachie Neale (29) and David Mundy (17) couldn't take full toll of Sandilands' dominant tapwork.

A winged Nathan Vardy and Jonathan Giles, recalled after the Hawks debacle, conceded a mountain of hit-outs (52-25) to the Freo giant but competed enough to give their onballers a chance at ground level.

Luke Shuey continued his stellar season with 28 disposals, after Connor Blakely had the Eagles dangerman's measure and 22 touches of his own at half-time.

Sam Mitchell returned and battled through a sore ankle to finish with 28 possessions and 10 clearances in his first Derby, but ex-Hawks teammate Bradley Hill had limited impact with 20 disposals.

Freo's night could be further soured after Fyfe's swinging arm caught Yeo high and dazed the Eagles star at a stoppage. The incident will certainly be looked at by the Match Review Panel.

WEST COAST   7.2   10.5   13.6   16.7 (103)
FREMANTLE     1.2    3.2     6.4     9.8 (62)

GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 6, LeCras 3, Hill 3, Darling 2, Duggan, Priddis.
Fremantle: McCarthy 3, Kersten 2, Balic, Grey, Neale, Johnson. 

BEST 
West Coast: McGovern, Yeo, Kennedy, Priddis, Gaff, Butler.
Fremantle:  Blakely, Neale, Fyfe, Langdon, Johnson, Sandilands. 

INJURIES 
West Coast: Vardy (elbow)  
Fremantle: Nil 

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Dalgleish, Fisher

Official crowd:  40,836 at Domain Stadium