Fremantle supporters have plenty to cheer Credit: flickr.com/michaelspencer

FREMANTLE     4.2    7.6    15.9   17.11  (113)
WEST COAST    1.5   1.10   5.11    6.12    (48)  

Fremantle have bolstered their finals aspirations with a thumping 65-point win over arch-rivals West Coast in the Derby.

Matthew Pavlich kicked a breath-taking eight goals to claim the Ross Glendinning medal for best on ground

It was a vital game for both clubs but it was Fremantle through their inspirational captain Pavlich who had the perfect start, with Pavlich kicking the first two goals of the game.

A heavy bump by Luke McPharlin, which will no doubt come under the scrutiny of the Match Review Panel, resulted in Darling receiving a free kick from 50 metres out, which he converted.

The Eagles had plenty of chances to build on the Darling goal only for inaccurate kicking to hamstring their cause. Goals to Mzungu and Walters provided Fremantle with a 15-point lead to half time.

The rain came tumbling down in the second, though it did little dampen the momentum of Fremantle, who dominated general play throughout the quarter, including a 10 minute phase where 93 per cent was played in Fremantle’s forward half. Fremantle on the back of this general play dominance struggled to fully capitalise, only kicking two goals for the quarter.

That was until a free kick to Pavlich with under a minute to go allowed the captain to go back and slot the goal, to give Fremantle a 32-point lead at the main break.

It was party time for Fremantle in the third quarter, piling on eight goals, including three more to Pavlich to take his total of the day to seven. Ballantyne also got in on the action, kicking three of his own after a quiet first half. The margin at three quarter time was a staggering 58 points to Fremantle.

The final quarter turned into a procession, with the intensity well and truly gone from the contest, the focus turned to the final goal tally of Pavlich to which he could only add one more to finish with an incredible eight goal haul. Mundy also managed to hit the scoreboard while Hurn kicked the final goal of the game in what was a horror day for the Eagles. The final margin a whopping 65 points in favour of Fremantle.

Fremantle will now travel to Adelaide to take on the Crows while West Coast will host Geelong next Friday in what looks like a mouth-watering contest.

VOTES

3) Matthew Pavlich

2) David Mundy

1) Nat Fyfe

FREMANTLE     4.2    7.6    15.9   17.11  (113)
WEST COAST    1.5   1.10   5.11    6.12    (48)

GOALS
Fremantle:  Pavlich 8, Ballantyne 3, Walters 2, Mzungu 2, Pearce, Mundy.
West Coast: Darling 2, Lynch, Hams, Naitanui, Hurn.

BEST
Fremantle: Pavlich, Mundy, Fyfe, Barlow, Griffin, McPharlin, Pearce, Ballantyne.
West Coast: Kerr, Waters, Gaff, Schofield.

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
West Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Dylan Roberton replaced Zac Dawson in the final quarter.
West Coast: Tom Swift replaced Brad Sheppard in the third quarter.

Reports: Luke McPharlin (Fremantle) for forceful front-on contact on Jack Darling in the first term; Matt de Boer (Fremantle) for kicking Daniel Kerr in the second term.

Umpires: Stewart, Meredith, Jeffery

Official crowd: 39,694 at Patersons Stadium