What’s On | Round 22
West Coast Eagles v Fremantle
Saturday, August 12 | 6.10pm (AWST) | Optus Stadium / Whadjuk
Gates open 4.00pm

This Saturday, August 12, be in our corner as we take on Fremantle in RAC Derby 57, the second of the 2023 season, at Optus Stadium from 6.10pm (AWST).

Note that the Australia v France FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-final match will be screening in the stadium from gates open at 4.00pm, prior to start of the RAC Derby. Prior to 4.00pm, the match will be shown on the BHP Amphitheatre screen outside of Optus Stadium.

Prior to the commencement of the RAC Derby, players and officials from the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers will join the Western Australia Police Force in a tribute to fallen officer, Police Constable Anthony Woods. (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patrons are warned that the tribute will include the name and image of a deceased person.)

Fan Zone location for 2023

Head to the western concourse on level 1 (inside Gate D) before the match for some great kids’ and family activities.

From 4.00pm until bouncedown, enjoy face painting from the West Coast Eagles fairies, and see a magician and our mascots Rick and Rosie roaming the concourse. From 5.00pm until 5.30pm, meet and greet available players, to have a poster signed.

The official Derby Partner, RAC, will have their mobile virtual reality Road Safety Experience on the concourse. Get a brief insight into the life of an RAC Rescue Crew Member to understand the importance of safety on our roads and receive a complimentary RAC stress ball.

The RAC Rescue chopper will fly over the stadium just before bouncedown.

Vaping and Smoking Reminder

Vaping and smoking are not permitted anywhere in Optus Stadium or on concourses. Offending patrons risk immediate eviction.

Public Transport

Remember to plan your journey ahead of Saturday with Transperth’s Journey Planner, and please click here for further information. Event buses will operate post-match. 

Public Transport is included in the cost of your match day ticket, with free travel on Perth’s buses and trains three hours either side of the match. If asked, please show your ticket to the driver or inspector.

If you’re heading through Gates A or B from Perth Stadium train station, 96FM will provide the afternoon’s soundtrack, with various games and giveaways on offer.

Contactless Payment

All food and beverage outlets at Optus Stadium now accept payment by credit or debit card only. If you do not have access to credit or debit card, cash can be exchanged for a complimentary ‘Cash Card’ via Cash Exchange points located around the stadium. Optus Stadium event day staff will direct you to the nearest Cash Exchange point at the stadium. For more information, please click here.

Mobile Ticketing

Tickets for Reserved Seat members are now available to download in the official West Coast Eagles App.

Avoid match day delays by downloading the official West Coast Eagles app and logging in to your West Coast Eagles account now, ahead of Saturday’s match. We strongly recommend not to leave this until the last minute, in case you encounter problems, and to save your tickets to your phone wallet to ensure no delays.

Instructions on how to use mobile ticketing are available here, and instructions on how to forward your ticket to a family member or a friend are available here.

The West Coast Eagles Membership Services team will be available at the box offices B, C, and E from 4.00pm on Saturday to answer any questions; however, please arrive early if you think that you may require assistance with your tickets.

If you have any issues with your tickets, please attend the match and the Membership Services team will assist; there is no need to miss the match solely for this reason.

Seat Return Program

Can’t make it to the match? Our Seat Return Program is available for Saturday’s match. If your seat successfully sells, you’ll receive a credit towards your 2024 membership renewal.

For more information, including a step-by-step guide to returning your seats, please click here.

Credits will not apply if your seat does not sell, or if you do not attend and do not return your seat.

Auzzie’s Flight

Be sure to be in your seats from 5.40pm to catch Auzzie’s pre-match flight around Optus Stadium at 5.43pm! We’re on the lookout for one lucky member to release Auzzie the Eagle for our round 24 match against Adelaide; click here to enter.

Where and when: Optus Stadium, Saturday, August 12, 6:10pm

TV: Live on 7 in WA, Fox Footy and streaming on Kayo

Last time we met: West Coast 9.13 (67) def. by Fremantle 16.12 (108) at Optus Stadium, round three, 2023.

RAC Derby 56 saw a brave and battered Eagles show resilience and heart in a 41-point loss that was plagued by injury. West Coast were down to just 17 fit players late in the third quarter, losing Luke Shuey and Jeremy McGovern to hamstring injuries, Jamie Cripps to an ankle injury and Alex Witherden with concussion. Liam Ryan and Campbell Chesser both sustained knee injuries but played out the game while under constraint. Despite the injury concerns, the Eagles continued to put up a good fight and managed to reduce the margin to just two points early in the fourth quarter. The Dockers surged in the final 20 minutes of the game, overrunning a depleted Eagles outfit to take the four points. Tim Kelly (33 disposals) shone for West Coast through the midfield, while Jack Darling (three goals) and Oscar Allan (three) were pivotal in front of goal.

What it means for the Eagles:

West Coast showed promising signs against Essendon last week, falling to the Bombers by just one point at Marvel Stadium. Clawing their way back from a 30-point deficit, the bright future of the club was on full display through the developing young group, and despite the loss, the team will be focusing on the positives. The RAC Derby rivalry will add an extra spark this week, and the Eagles will be looking to show their continued growth and consistency against Fremantle in the highly anticipated WA contest, while hoping to break a four-game losing run in the crosstown clash

The stat: Since round 18, the Eagles have conceded 34.8 points per game from intercept possessions – ranked second defensively.

The match-up: Bailey Williams v Luke Jackson

In a huge boost for West Coast, Bailey Williams was successfully cleared of a potential one-match ban from an incident in last week’s game against the Bombers. Williams is free to play but will have his work cut out for him this week against Fremantle’s Luke Jackson, who has been in blistering form since their No.1 ruck Sean Darcy was sidelined for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.

It’s a big week for: Jamaine Jones

Jones returns to the line-up for his first game in 12 weeks, after injuring his ankle in round 10. The 24-year-old defender is a welcome return to the Eagles backline and will inject speed and presence around the ground. 

Big call: Oscar Allen will kick five or more goals, win the Glendinning-Allan Medal, and jump into the top five on the 2023 Coleman Medal leader-board.

Fremantle has crushed West Coast in a brutal Derby, piling on 17 unanswered goals on the way to a record 101-point win at Optus Stadium. 

Inspired by Glendinning-Allan medallist Lachie Schultz and young ruck star Luke Jackson, the Dockers took no mercy on their crosstown rivals, winning 20.14 (134) to 4.9 (33) in Derby 57. 

The Eagles did not play with the level of intensity demanded and were punished in the contest and ultimately on the scoreboard. 

Fremantle, meanwhile, produced the football that was expected of it this season, controlling stoppages, running forward in waves, and using the ball with precision as it handballed past its opponents. 

Schultz won his second Glendinning-Allan Medal with a dynamic performance in attack, finishing with 24 disposals, seven inside 50s and a game-high five goals.

The Eagles kicked the first two goals of the game and dominated inside 50s (11-2) before Fremantle adjusted, lifting its physical approach, and enjoyed some dominance of its own with 13 of the next 14 forward entries.

And while the Eagles managed 2.2 from their dominance, the Dockers took full advantage of theirs and booted the next four goals of the quarter, with Matthew Johnson, Schultz and Sturt adding goals in 46 seconds of playing time. 

Amiss added another when he was dumped in the goalsquare in a dangerous tackle by Tom Cole. Moments later, Alex Witherden won a free kick when he was slung by Michael Walters in a tackle that was also deemed dangerous by the umpire. Both Amiss and Witherden were both untroubled by the tackles and played on.

The Fremantle goal streak hit 14 before returning Eagle Jamaine Jones looked to have ended it when he poked one through from the goalsquare. It was overturned, however, due to a prior free kick. The Dockers continued their run thereafter to build a 95-point lead at the last change.

Wingman Andrew Gaff ended the run when he kicked West Coast's third goal at the start of the final term, providing brief respite for his team's defenders, who were under the pump the entire day. 

Full match coverage and stats

WEST COAST        2.2   2.5   2.6   4.9 (33)
FREMANTLE        4.4   10.8   17.11   20.14 (134)  

GOALS 
West Coast: Allen, Gaff, Kelly, J Williams
Fremantle: Schultz 5, Amiss 4, Sturt 4, Aish, Erasmus, Frederick, Jackson, Johnson, O'Meara, Walters

BEST
West Coast: Kelly, Duggan, Hewett, Witherden, Foley 
Fremantle: Schultz, Jackson, Serong, Clark, Sturt, Brayshaw, Amiss   

INJURIES
West Coast: Allen (shoulder) 
Fremantle: Nil 

LATE CHANGES
West Coast: Jack Petruccelle (illness) replaced in the selected side by Luke Foley; Brady Hough (illness) replaced in the selected side by Jack Williams 
Fremantle: Nil 

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Greg Clark (replaced Tom Cole in the fourth quarter) 
Fremantle: Neil Erasmus (replaced Josh Corbett in the third quarter)

Crowd: 51,172 at Optus Stadium