Fremantle has produced its biggest derby win over West Coast in a 75-point Sunday arvo demolition at Subiaco, but it may have come at a cost as the Dockers lost veteran Chris Tarrant to a knee injury.
Tarrant was just returning from a four-match absence with a heel injury, but the former Magpie injured the medial ligament in his left knee just before quarter-time in a clash with Andrew Embley.
As Embley dived across Tarrant to get the ball, the Dockers' defender immediately clutched at his knee and was taken off the field, although the good news for Fremantle coach Mark Harvey was that the experienced defender was able to walk around after the incident and may still be available for the upcoming finals campaign.
And, on this evidence, heading into September, the Dockers may not be faltering quite as badly as some predicted.
Although their opponent was only the last-placed Eagles, western derbies have traditionally brought out the best in these sides, but this time around West Coast barely fired a shot in a 24.16 (160) to 13.7 (85) result.
Not only was it the greatest winning margin Fremantle has enjoyed over its bitter crosstown rival - eclipsing the 57-point win in 2006 - but it was the Dockers' highest score against the Eagles and their highest score for the year.
The result sees Fremantle continue its recent derby dominance over the Eagles, a run that's seen the Dockers win nine of the last 10 clashes between these sides. It also sees the Dockers stay in fifth position on equal points with the fourth-placed Western Bulldogs but with an inferior percentage as the Eagles stay last on the ladder.
Although West Coast forward Mark LeCras played a typical lone hand, booting five goals as he took advantage of Tarrant's absence, his team-mates produced a lethargic display as they gave the ball away far too easily and lacked pressure right across the ground.
The scene was set in the fourth minute when a terrible kick-out from Matt Schofield - deputising for late withdrawal and regular kicker Shannon Hurn - landed with Paul Hasleby, who booted the first of his three goals.
Worse was to come as the Eagles conceded seven unanswered goals in the first quarter as the Dockers ended the game there and then, leading by 45 points at the first break.
The Eagles plight was summed up by stand-in skipper Beau Waters' efforts from defence in the first quarter. Although Waters was his typically brave self, his eight kicks for the term were all ineffective, six of them going directly to an opponent.
However, Waters had plenty of mates with similar tales of woe throughout one of the darkest days in West Coast's proud history.
But saying the Eagles simply gave the ball away is under-rating the Dockers' efforts as they harrassed with intent and created mountains of perceived pressure. And, having caused a turnover, Fremantle's fleet-footed youngsters ran to space in a way that gave the Eagles simply no chance of keeping up with them.
Having been well beaten by the Western Bulldogs in the midfield last week, the Dockers' on-ball division was boosted by David Mundy's return, his presence immediately felt as he controlled the clearances with precision and intelligence on his way to 25 disposals for the game.
He was ably assisted by ruckman Aaron Sandilands, who won his second Ross Glendinning medal with 22 touches and 33 hit-outs.
Greg Broughton generated 31 possessions off half-back but all the midfield's thunder was still stolen by Freo fan favourite Hayden Ballantyne, the serial pest scoring six of the best, including three in the final term.
Matthew Pavlich also scored four goals in a great return to touch after a lean month of form as he struggled with an ankle injury while Michael Johnson, Stephen Hill and impressive debutant Justin Bollenhagen added two apiece.
For the Eagles, LeCras tried hard with his five goals while Andrew Strijk and Matt Rosa both booted two, but West Coast's score was inflated by several junk-time goals.
Matt Priddis collected a solid 28 disposals but experienced team-mate Andrew Embley was on the receiving end of a good tagging job by Jay van Berlo.
Typical of a derby, there were plenty of spotfires across the ground and both sides could see several players looked at by the match review panel for wrestling.
FREMANTLE: 7.6, 13.8, 18.12, 24.16 (160)
WEST COAST: 0.3, 4.4, 9.5, 13.7 (85)
GOALS: Fremantle: Ballantyne 6, Pavlich 4, Hasleby 3, Johnson 2, Bollenhagen 2, Hill 2, Hayden, Mundy, Suban, van Berlo, Crichton,
West Coast: LeCras 5, Strijk 2, Rosa 2, Selwood, Naitanui, Embley, Waters
BEST: Fremantle: Mundy, Sandilands, Broughton, Ballantyne, Pavlich, Hill, van Berlo
West Coast: LeCras, Priddis, Rosa, Strijk
INJURIES: Fremantle: Tarrant (knee)
West Coast: Masten (ankle)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Fremantle: Nil
West Coast: Shannon Hurn (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Brett Jones
UMPIRES: Margetts, McInerney, Keating
CROWD: 40,451 at Subiaco Oval