West Coast have defied the odds to end a four-year Western Derby hoodoo through a solid 33-point result over Fremantle at Patersons Stadium on Sunday evening.
The Eagles appeared behind the eight-ball before the opening bounce as they lost veteran midfielders Andrew Embley and Daniel Kerr to injury during the warm-ups.
Embley, who's been in some blistering form so far this year, suffered hamstring tightness while Kerr was withdrawn after feeling soreness in his groin during the pre-game warm-up out on the ground.
But, despite the late changes, West Coast stuck to their guns, producing more of the intense pressure football they've delivered so far this season as they strangled Fremantle's scoring opportunities, particularly in a dominant first half.
The Eagles effectively set up the hoodoo-breaking win through an impressive second quarter where they booted five goals to one to have a 37-point lead at the main break.
That margin was extended to a game-high 40 points midway through the third quarter, but the Dockers lifted and dragged the deficit back to just 21 points at the five minute mark of the final term.
But consecutive goals to Josh Kennedy, who booted three for the day, and Nic Naitanui in the next five minutes ended Fremantle's challenge as West Coast ran out 14.12 (96) to 9.9 (63) victors over their crosstown rivals.
Although he was quiet during the first quarter, Matt Priddis continued his brilliant start to the season with 27 disposals, 17 of which were contested, as he claimed a well-deserved Ross Glendinning medal, the first Eagle to do so since Michael Braun's infamous win and speech during West Coast's last Derby win in Round 3 2007.
He had plenty of mates helping him out, though, as Jack Darling, Mark Nicoski and Mark LeCras all also booted two goals, while Scott Selwood had 21 disposals and nine tackles.
For the Dockers, David Mundy was exceptional with 28 disposals in another hard-fought battle through the midfield, while Nathan Fyfe also had 28 possessions and scored two goals, including a goal of the year contender as he finished off a freakish left-foot banana from the boundary 35 metres out while being tackled.
However, Mundy and Fyfe had little help from their team-mates as the Dockers were comprehensively beaten across the ground, the Eagles' pressure forcing Fremantle into numerous turnovers and skill errors.
Aaron Sandilands may have had 45 hit-outs but the Naitanui and Dean Cox ruck combination for West Coast had 39 in response, while the Eagles ground-level players were far more intense than their Fremantle counterparts for much of this encounter.
The result sees West Coast climb back into the eight into seventh position, while the Dockers' second consecutive loss sees them drop to eighth, both WA clubs now enjoying a 4-3 record.
WEST COAST: 4.1, 9.5, 10.5, 14.12 (96)
FREMANTLE: 2.1, 3.4, 6.5, 9.9 (63)
GOALS: West Coast: Kennedy 3, Darling 2, Nicoski 2, LeCras 2, Lynch, Masten, Cox, Naitanui, Shuey
Fremantle: Mayne 2, Fyfe 2, Crowley, Pavlich, Johnson, Mundy, Bradley
BEST: West Coast: Priddis, S.Selwood, Kennedy, Darling, Lynch, Rosa
Fremantle: Fyfe, Mundy, Sandilands, Pavlich
INJURIES: West Coast: Nil
Fremantle: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Fremantle: Hayden Ballantyne (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Jayden Pitt
West Coast: Andrew Embley (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Brad Sheppard. Daniel Kerr (groin) replaced in selected side by Andrew Gaff
UMPIRES: McBurney, Kennedy, Armstrong
CROWD: 40,567 at Patersons Stadium