VENUE & TIME: Subiaco, Saturday 25 July, 4:00 pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 29, Fremantle 11, West Coast 18
LAST TIME: Fremantle 13.9 (87) def West Coast 9.20 (74), Round 6, 2009 at Subiaco.
WALKING WOUNDED: The two big inclusions for Fremantle for the 30th Western Derby are Matthew Pavlich (calf) and Aaron Sandilands (hamstring) after the pair missed three and two matches respectively. Sandilands is a definite starter, while Pavlich may still need to pass a fitness test and could play more as a forward to ease the load in his comeback. Mark Harvey has also hinted at fielding a 10th debutant, which could possibly be rookie Hamish Shepherd. However, key Dockers Chris Tarrant (knee) and Paul Hasleby remain in doubt, while Byron Schammer (calf) and Des Headland (hamstring) are a week from resuming. Roger Hayden (broken leg) has two weeks to go, Andrew Foster (ankle) two to four matches and Michael Johnson (ankle) another month, while Brock O'Brien (quad), Rhys Palmer (knee) and Ryan Crowley (foot) are gone for the season. Sandilands' return to the ruck is a major blow for a West Coast side missing its key ruckman Dean Cox (groin) and ball winner Daniel Kerr (abdominal) for an indefinite period, while Adam Hunter (shoulder) is at least two matches from resuming. Brent Staker (broken hand) could play next week, while Brett Jones (quad) has two weeks to go and Tyson Stenglein (back) is fit to play after being a late withdrawal last weekend.
FORM: Crippled by injuries, last Saturday's 15-point loss to Brisbane was Fremantle's ninth in a row. It was, however, a significantly improved performance on the week before where the Dockers scored just one goal and lost to Adelaide by 117 points. The Eagles, meanwhile, have lost their last three since defeating reigning premiers Hawthorn, the latest loss being by 36 points to Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. Despite the match being played at Subiaco, a defeat here would see West Coast having lost its last 20 away matches, to be within one of Sydney's disastrous road record from 1992-94.
WHO'S HOT: Despite being promoted from the rookie list, backman Greg Broughton has slowly but surely established himself in Fremantle's defence, becoming one of the club's more effective ball users off the half-back line. In just nine AFL matches, Broughton is averaging 23.2 disposals and 3.5 tackles and was one of the few to offer some resistance to the rampaging Adelaide Crows a fortnight ago with 30 possessions in that game. For the Eagles, there's no going past this week's NAB Rising Star nominee Chris Masten, who earned 37 possessions against the Power last Sunday. Having been restricted to just nine matches in 2008 with osteitis pubis, Masten took a little while to really get going this season. But an 11-possession quarter against Hawthorn in Round 13 seems to have given him confidence and he's kicked on from there, his performance against Port demonstrating why he was selected at No. 3 in the now very controversial 2007 National Draft.
WE THINK: The Dockers have virtually owned the Western Derby trophy for this decade, with Fremantle staff looking quite at home polishing it up for Wednesday's traditional coaches' press conference. Indeed the Dockers have won six of the last seven matches between the sides, not to mention a few pre-season fixtures along the way. Like this time last year, the Derby is meaningless from a ladder perspective, but there's still local bragging rights at stake as Freo's youngsters take a pot shot at their neighbours up the road. With a little bit more maturity behind them, West Coast should place immense pressure on Fremantle, but whether the Eagles have the skills to use the ball effectively once they've won it remains to be seen. In that department, the Dockers have some long, penetrating kickers that could really make West Coast pay, while they should also have an effective forward target this week if Pavlich and Sandilands are fit. West Coast has also shown it's particularly vulnerable to run-ons, whereby the Dockers are hard to stop once the goals start flowing. I'm really, really uncomfortable tipping them but Dockers by 10 points .