FREMANTLE has continued its recent dominance of West Coast and held its place in the top four, winning its sixth consecutive western derby by 38 points at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
 
After trailing by 23 points early in the second quarter, Fremantle slammed on 11 consecutive goals and held West Coast to just two more to win 17.9 (111) to 10.13 (73).

Fremantle onballer Michael Barlow, in just the sixth game of his incredible debut season, was unanimously awarded the Ross Glendinning Medal. He was the game’s dominant midfielder with 25 possessions, five clearances, five inside 50s and a goal.  

Matthew Pavlich was well held for the majority of the match, but the skipper broke free in patches to influence the match with five goals.

Paul Duffield (24 possessions and nine rebound 50s) was also crucial for Fremantle, while David Mundy emerged in the second half to have an influence.   

West Coast’s twin ruck attack of Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui edged dominant Fremantle big man Aaron Sandilands, winning the hit-outs 47-42.  

However, it was a win for Fremantle’s emerging defensive superiority and Ryan Crowley and Paul Hasleby comprehensively beat senior West Coast midfielders Andrew Embley and Matt Priddis.

Brad Ebert (28 possessions and five clearances) was West Coast’s best, while Adam Selwood (26) worked hard.

In a 10-minute period late in the second quarter, Eagle Chris Masten and Fremantle’s Hayden Ballantyne, Alex Silvagni and Chris Mayne all went down with leg injuries, however, the Fremantle trio successfully returned.   

Masten, who had 14 first-half possessions, four clearances and a goal, was taken to the rooms on a stretcher at the main break.

West Coast took an aggressive mindset into the first quarter, and returning Fremantle midfielder Rhys Palmer was the first casualty, collected front-on and head-high by Andrew Embley after five minutes.

The 2008 NAB AFL Rising Star went on to have 18 possessions in his first game back from a knee reconstruction.  

The Eagles locked down Fremantle playmaker Mundy, who had 10 first half-possessions, and Pavlich, who was still able to break free briefly to kick two superb long-range goals.

But the Eagles, in front of their home crowd, could not capitalise sufficiently on the scoreboard and took an eight-point lead into the main break. Their last goal of the first half - kicked at the eight-minute mark - would be their last for almost two quarters.  

In round seven, Fremantle travels to face the Brisbane Lions, who have lost two games straight, while West Coast host the out of sorts Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval.

West Coast   4.1  8.6  8.9   10.13 (73)
Fremantle     4.2  7.4  10.7  17.9 (111)

GOALS
West Coast: Kennedy 3, LeCras 2, Cox, Swift, Masten, Hurn, Schofield
Fremantle: Pavlich 5, Johnson 3, Fyfe 2, Mayne 2, Hayden 2, Palmer, Sandilands, Barlow

BEST
Fremantle: Barlow, Duffield, Pavlich, Sandilands, Mundy, Johnson  
West Coast: Adam Selwood, Schofield, Cox, Swift, Rosa, Scott Selwood

INJURIES
West Coast: Masten (knee)
Fremantle: Nil

REPORTS
Andrew Embley (West Coast) for rough conduct on Hayden Ballantyne in the first quarter

Umpires: Farmer, Kennedy, Hay

Crowd: 40,886 at Subiaco Oval

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.