How Fremantle and West Coast are approaching Western Derby with different mindsets

One club is aiming for a hole in one, the other is just trying to stay on the fairway. But both Freo and West Coast are at the bottom of the ladder heading into the highest-stakes derby in years.

Psychologists once conducted an experiment with a group of golfers.

They told one group of players to try for a hole in one. They asked the other to land the ball within five metres of the hole.

The result? The nearest to the pin assignment had a higher level of accuracy than those who were aiming for a hole in one.

This quick lesson in sports psychology might just tell us who the early favourite for Sunday’s Western Derby is.

For the first time, excluding the four derbies that served as season openers, both Fremantle and West Coast will go into the game winless. It’s also the first time since 2001 that WA’s clubs have occupied the two lowest spots on the ladder with the Dockers sitting 17th and the Eagles 18th.

Jye Amiss, Caleb Serong and Luke Ryan look on after their loss to Sydney. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

Fremantle is coming off an agonising three-point loss to Sydney while West Coast put up a much improved performance against reigning premiers Brisbane in a 19-point defeat.

It’s only Round 3 so it’s not exactly one of the most consequential derbies of all-time. But both teams are desperate to notch their first win of the year and only one will.

When we look at this contest, it’s hard not to take note of two conflicting narratives emerging.

These are of course two clubs at very different stages of their development and list builds. But the message they’re selling off-field could play a major part in what happens in Western Derby 60.

Earlier this month, Andrew McQualter delivered his first address as coach at West Coast’s season launch.

He’s attended many as a highly-touted assistant at the triple-premiership Tigers and Melbourne. And in his first speech to the Eagles faithful, one of the strongest statements he made was this:

“What I’ve learnt from winning teams over my years is they don’t actually talk about winning,” he told the 800 odd attendees at Crown Perth. “They talk about the process and the journey.

“They remember the hard work they did, the pre-season camps they shared, the jokes they shared, the relationships they built.

“Football is a people industry. Our job is to make every person in our football club feel like they belong and contribute to winning.”

West Coast can afford to appreciate the journey – it’s likely to be a long one back to contention.

The Eagles leave the field after their defeat in Round 2. Picture: Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

But McQualter’s experience is the polar opposite of what Fremantle is projecting.

For the last three years, the Dockers have told us they’re on the precipice of premiership success.

Fremantle is refusing to shy away from expectation and the playing group speaks regularly and openly about wanting to be a part of the club’s first flag.

But dreams aren’t reality and you have to wonder whether too much talk is getting in the way of Flagmantle walking the walk.

At the club’s season launch, chief executive Simon Garlick said 2025 is about “cementing our place at the top of the competition,” and delivering on the most ambitious benchmark in the club’s strategic plan.

“We are giving ourselves the best chance we’ve had to be in contention for a decade or more,” he said. “Our unapologetic priority is to win a premiership in both AFL and AFLW.

“We are not here for a one-off shot – we are building for sustained contention.”

President Chris Sutherland added: “The time to contend is upon us and the belief and trust from the board in this playing group and coaching staff has never been stronger.

“I’m done talking, it’s time for action.”

And when he was re-elected captain for 2025, Alex Pearce declared: “I think we have the talent here to win the first premiership and I want to be the man to hold it up.

“We know what it would mean to this club and community. That’s certainly the goal.”

It’s the Dockers’ prerogative to shoot for the North Star and put themselves on the hook to deliver. Ambition helps sell memberships and Flagmantle has been 31 years, some close misses and plenty of agony in the making.

But Fremantle is talking an awful lot about premierships for a club that hasn’t yet proven it’s capable of winning one.

One of the many micro battles that will define Sunday’s derby will be the two club’s differing methodologies to success.

The Dockers want a hole in one. The Eagles will attempt to get as close to the mark as possible.

Which approach is better? We’ll know on Sunday night.

Originally published as How Fremantle and West Coast are approaching Western Derby with different mindsets