West Coast remains vulnerable in second spot on the AFL ladder despite their 58-point win over Fremantle at Optus Oval on Sunday, in the most spiteful Western Derby since the infamous 2000 clash.
The six teams lining up below them are all within striking distance, and the Eagles may need to win two of their remaining three games to earn the home ground advantage going into the finals.
Smash-up Derby: West Coast and Fremantle player scuffle during their round 20 clash at Optus Stadium.
They will almost definitely be without Andrew Gaff for all three of those games, and maybe more, after an incident involving the star midfielder and young Docker Andrew Brayshaw is scrutinised by the tribunal.
Gaff appeared to strike Brayshaw high, 20m behind the play, leaving him bloodied on the ground.
He was helped from the ground by medical staff and taken straight to hospital for treatment on a broken jaw.
The margin was 50 points when the incident occurred midway through the third term, so it made no difference to the outcome of the game. But the repercussions could be significant for the Eagles.
Once the Match Review Officer finishes looking at the footage, more charges are likely to laid.
Docked: Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw left the ground bleeding from the mouth after an incident involving West Coast’s Andrew Gaff.
Gaff, among the favourites for the Brownlow Medal, is yet to re-sign with West Coast beyond 2018. There are reportedly several teams chasing him in Melbourne, where he was drafted from, as a free agent.
If he is sidelined for four or more games by the tribunal, he could have potentially played his last game with the Eagles.
After a stellar season averaging 30.6 touches a game, his absence also damages the Eagles premiership chances.
Welcome back: Liam Ryan (right) congratulated after scoring in his first start for the Eagles since round five.
The 21.16 (142) to 13.6 (84) victory leaves the Eagles one-and-a-half wins ahead of Greater Western Sydney, and two wins ahead of the next five that makes up the eight.
With Melbourne having a better percentage than the Eagles, and Hawthorn’s nearly matching, West Coast may need to win two of their remaining three home-and-away fixtures to maintaining a crucial spot in the top two.
They play Port in Adelaide next week, host the Demons in Perth in round 22 and then finish against an improved Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
After losing to North Melbourne by 40 points in Tasmania a week earlier, it took the Eagles a while to get going against the Dockers.
Fremantle kicked the first goal of the game and with David Mundy dominating the stoppages, had several opportunities to open a small lead. But they slaughtered those chances.
Big men fly: Eagle Scott Lycett takes on Matt Taberner of the Dockers in a ruck contest.
West Coast kicked the next five goals, without really taking control of the contest, to lead by 28-points midway through the second term.
Then the Eagles gained momentum.
Jack Darling booted four goals in his best performance since his return from an ankle injury; while Gaff finished with 33 touches.
Jamie Cripps also booted four goals and Liam Ryan three in his first game back at AFL level since round 15.
Replay
The Eagles dominated in almost every statistic before kicking their highest score of the season.
Jack Redden, Elliot Yeo and Luke Shuey all had plenty of the ball in midfield, while Brad Sheppard, with 12 marks and 26 possessions, was also good in defence in his 150th AFL game.
It was the Eagles seventh consecutive win against their cross-town rival; Fremantle last won a Derby in round 3 of 2015.
The margin was the biggest in a Derby since Fremantle beat West Coast by 65 points in 2012.
It was also the Dockers third loss on the trot.
Freo's Bradley Hill finished with 30 touches, while Mundy continued where he started and had 27.
Matt Taberner returned for his first game since round 5 and while was among those who missed chances early, finished with two goals and also pinched-hit in the ruck.
Brandon Matera and Cam McCarthy also kicked two apiece.
Brayshaw was enjoying another solid game before the run-in with Gaff, with 16 touches and four tackles next to his name.
The Dockers will be looking to claim an eighth win in a difficult season next week when they host Carlton.
WEST COAST
4.4 9.7 16.10 21.16 (142)
FREMANTLE
1.2 4.4 8.6 13.6 (84)
GOALS – West Coast: Cripps 4, Darling 4, Ryan 3, Yeo 2, Vardy 2, Lycett 2, Rioli 2, Gaff, Redden.
Fremantle: Matera 2, McCarthy 2, Taberner 2, Walters 2, Cox, Langdon, Ballantyne, Neale, Darcy.
BEST – West Coast: Redden, Yeo, Sheppard, Gaff, J Darling, Lycett.
Fremantle: Mundy, Hill, Neale, Walters, Ryan, Matera.
UMPIRES: Ryan, Stephens, Williamson.
CROWD: 57,375 at Optus Stadium.
VOTES
J Redden (West Coast) 9
E Yeo (West Coast) 8
B Sheppard (West Coast) 8
A Gaff (West Coast) 7
D Mundy (Fremantle) 6
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