HEART and spirit was not enough for the West Coast Eagles to endure in a combative RAC Derby at Optus Stadium tonight.

While the Eagles were up for the contest Fremantle withstood the brunt of the Eagles challenge and won 9.17 (71) to 7.5 (47) in what was an engrossing match played at finals-like intensity.   

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Langdon snaps opening goal

West Coast hits the scoreboard first with this Zac Langdon gem

After a see-sawing first half where first one team and then the other assumed thew ascendancy, the Dockers had superior belief and run thereafter.

The Eagles never gave up on the contest but with so many first choice players unavailable in the end they could give no more.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 13: Rory Lobb of the Dockers and Tom Barrass of the Eagles contest for a mark during the round 22 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium on August 13, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images via AFL Photos)

The attitude of the Eagles was probably best exemplified by the way the defensive lines held up when once again they were confronted with a wave of football going inside the defensive arc. Tom Barrass was again outstanding, holding Rory Lobb goalless and in conjunction with Shannon Hurn and Liam Duggan held back the assaults.

Barrass took 12 marks and had 20 possessions to continue his remarkable season while Hurn 28 disposals (six marks) and Duggan racked up 30 possessions (10 marks).

Unfortunately that indicated the ball was in the Eagles defensive half too often and the statistics supported that with 56% of the game backward of centre.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 13: Jack Darling of the Eagles celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2022 AFL Round 22 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium on August 13, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos)

Fremantle led the inside 50 count 57-44, but the Eagles held up and remained in the contest under the final siren.

Through the midfield Jackson Nelson was assigned the challenge of shadowing Andrew Brayshaw and he held the key Dockers play-maker to just 22 touches, while Xavier O’Neill enjoyed good exposure in the engine room and Luke Shuey and Jack Redden rolled up their sleeves and fought hard.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 13: David Mundy of the Dockers looks to handball against Luke Shuey of the Eagles during the round 22 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and the West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium on August 13, 2022 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images via AFL Photos)

But finding a target up forward in the absence of retired star Josh Kennedy proved problematic and the Eagles had to toil for their goals.

Jake Waterman finished with two goals and Jack Darling kicked one after an absorbing one-on-one match-up with Alex Pearce.

Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy, who won the Glendinning-Allan Medal as best afield was highly influential while Caleb Serong had 25 possessions and Blake Acres racked up 29.

Generally, though, those touches were under pressure as the Eagles as collective committed to the game plan.

Details
Fremantle                        3.4         5.6         7.14       9.17       71
West Coast Eagles          4.0         5.2         6.3         7.5         47
Goals – Fremantle: Frederick, Walters 2; Acres, Schultz, Darcy, Serong, Brayshaw. West Coast Eagles: Waterman 2; Darling, Dixon, Langdon, O’Neill, Redden.
Best – Fremantle: Darcy, Acres, Walters, Mundy, Pearce. West Coast Eagles: Barrass, Nelson, Hurn, Duggan, Shuey, O’Neill.

Injuries – R Lobb (Fremantle - shoulder) replaced by B Banfield in the last quarter. J Jones (West Coast Eagles – back) replaced b y G Clark in the third quarter. Attendance: 53,816
Glendinning-Allan Medal: S Darcy (Fremantle)