AFL round 3 West Coast v Fremantle: Dudley’s Dockers take the win in Derby 60

Debutant Isaiah Dudley set Fremantle alight in the first quarter and the Dockers didn’t look back as they piled on the pain against the wounded Eagles in Derby 60.

Andrew McQualter knew he was taking on a long-term project when he accepted the head coaching job at West Coast.

But he would have counted on a few things going his way in the early stages of his tenure.

With Elliot Yeo and Jake Waterman already on the injured list, the last thing he needed to see late in the third quarter of the Eagles 38-point loss to Fremantle on Sunday was Jeremy McGovern limping from Optus Stadium.

The key defender had been arguably their best player, but a groin injury now threatens to sideline him for at least a few weeks.

The 15.16 (106) to 10.8 (68) result gave the Dockers their first win for 2025. But it was the Eagles third consecutive loss.

And they have won just one quarter too, leading the Lions 5.2 to 1.2 at quarter-time.

Short of personnel, McQualter was forced to play captain Oscar Allen and Harley Reid in key defensive roles in the final term.

Jeremy McGovern of the Eagles leaves the field under the blood rule early in the derby, before he later came off with a groin injury. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

BALL ON A STRING

A week after being kept relatively quiet in a close loss to the Sydney Swans, Caleb Serong got off the chain on Sunday.

With already three Glendinning–Allan medals to his name, being judged best afield in derbies, he picked up 35 touches, 17 of them contested.

It was enough for him to win his fourth medal, joining former Docker Paul Hasleby with the most, four.

Andrew Brayshaw was also very good, with 29 touches and seven tackles.

The Dockers were smashed in clearances a week earlier by the Swans, but this pair collected 16 between them on Sunday. The Dockers beat West Coast 40-25 in that area.

Caleb Serong had 35 touches. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

STARVED OF CHANCES

West Coast went forward just 37 times against Fremantle. They aren’t going to win too many games while that’s happening.

They had 28 fewer entries into attack than Fremantle, continuing the trend of the start of the season – well for the past couple of seasons, to be fair.

They also had 33 less than Gold Coast in round 1 and were 12 shy of the Brisbane Lions in round 2

As a result, key forward Allen had his first touch of the ball 11 minutes into the second term against the Dockers, and he had to go a fair way up the ground to get it.

ALL IN THE GENES

It took about three minutes for Fremantle debutant Isaiah Dudley to win over the Dockers crowd.

The 21-year-old kicked two goals late in the first term, his first to give his new side the lead over the West Coast.

The first of them was simple, kicked after he took a mark in the goal square from a Shai Bolton pass. The second was on the run from 40m after receiving a handball from Neil Erasmus.

Isaiah Dudley kicked two goals on debut. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

His goal awareness should surprise no one. After all, he is the cousin of star Melbourne small forward Kysaiah Pickett and nephew of Adelaide and Carlton star forward Eddie Betts.

Dudley was only added to Fremantle’s list in February and was believed to be on Carlton’s radar.

He finished with those two goals.

DOCKERS CLOSING THE GAP

Sunday was the 50th Western Derby played since Fremantle joined the competition in 1995.

The win was the Dockers 27th, with West Coast still holding the advantage, with 33 victories against its cross-town rivals.

The Dockers have closed the gap significantly in recent seasons, having claimed seven of the past eight derbies, since round 22 of season 2021.

The Eagles beat up on Fremantle in the early clashes between the two, winning the first nine games. They then won 11 consecutive clashes against the Dockers between round 20 of season 2015 and round 7 of season 2021.

Before that run, the Dockers had closed the gap to just one, 21-20.