Plenty of people were hoping that Derby 62 could produce either a repeat of 2024 or at least a much closer contest than in recent years, but Fremantle showed the world is very different to back then with a 56-point victory over West Coast at Optus Stadium.

This was a day where 2024 got referenced but the differences between those games was stark as Fremantle won 14.13 (97) to 5.11 (41)

In 2024, Jye Amiss got knocked out in the opening minutes. This time he kicked five goals and took a club record nine marks inside 50.

In 2024, Jake Waterman booted 5.2. This time he kicked 1.3.

In 2024, West Coast number six Elliot Yeo was best on ground. This time Fremantle’s number six Jordan Clark won the Glendinning-Allan Medal.

Murphy Reid was playing under 18s footy in Victoria. This time he had 24 disposals and was influential.

In 2024 West Coast dominated the air, taking 17 contested marks to Fremantle’s seven. This time Fremantle took 16 contested marks and the Eagles managed 11.

This was a reminder that plenty has changed since 2024.

West Coast were the most experienced team during that 2024 win. This time Archer Reid, Sandy Brock, Tom McCarthy, Jobe Shanahan, Hamish Davis, Bo Allan, Cooper Duff-Tytler, Willem Duursma, Josh Lindsay and Milan Murdock were all yet to play 20 games.

Isaiah Dudley was the least experienced Docker and he was playing game number 22. Murphy Reid was the next least experienced.

The Dockers spent a fortnight living in South Australia in the weeks before that clash and lost two close games.

This time they flew back to WA before Gather Round and returned home with two close victories.

West Coast entered the 2024 derby having won against Richmond the previous week. This time the Eagles had lost their previous two matches, including a 128-point defeat at the hands of Sydney.

West Coast kicked the first seven goals that night. This time they kicked only five goals for the day.

Fremantle showed why they are second on the ladder as they took their season record to 5-1.

The Eagles still had a genuine crack. They had so many chances to hurt Fremantle early and just couldn’t capitalise.

West Coast got the ideal start when Waterman took a contested mark against Brennan Cox. But the star forward hit the post with his set shot and that began a tale of woe for the Eagles with their goalkicking.

The Dockers looked menacing whenever they got the ball on the outside. Their first goal came from a brilliant passage of play involving Murphy Reid, Sam Switkowski and Shai Bolton. They got the ball to Josh Treacy and Fremantle were away.

West Coast just kept missing. Elliot Yeo won a centre clearance and bombed it forward, but the Dockers rushed the behind.

Bo Allan missed with a set shot after a 50m penalty, Jamie Cripps missed after Luke Ryan was penalised for a rushed behind. Harley Reid missed a shot too and then Waterman’s set shot on the siren sailed wide too.

They had six behinds and received no reward for leading the inside 50 battle 16-12.

The Dockers also missed chances but they kicked two goals along the way. Pat Voss booted their second major and hit the post with another attempt.

West Coast were applying plenty of pressure but they couldn’t contain Fremantle on the outside. The Dockers had 31 more disposals in the first quarter.

The Eagles finally got reward for their hard work at the start of the second term. Elliot Yeo snapped a goal under pressure to give his team a lift and when Josh Lindsay followed up with another moments later, West Coast were in front.

Now the scoreboard was a more accurate reflection of how the game looked on the field.

How would Fremantle respond?

Their forwards stepped up to maximise their advantages with height and strength.

Treacy took a huge mark on the wing, got the ball inside 50 to Amiss and he also took a strong grab before kicking the goal.

Tylar Young held Luke Jackson, conceding a free kick and he kicked truly too.

When Neil Erasmus bodylined the ball and got past Waterman, he found Amiss and the Dockers had three consecutive goals in just five minutes.

West Coast were starting to tire and when Harley Reid gave away a 50m penalty, Jordan Clark made him pay the ultimate price.

Fremantle led by 22 points at half-time despite West Coast having more forward entries, more clearances, more contested possessions and more tackles inside 50.

West Coast’s biggest headache was finding a way to stop Fremantle from marking the ball inside 50. The Dockers had nine for the half.

Harley Reid and Yeo were getting their hands on the ball. They had a combined 23 disposals while Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw had only 18.

Andrew McQualter would have shown his team their stats at half-time and made it clear they were in the game. Justin Longmuir would have wanted his players to find another gear - especially in the midfield.

Eagles fans wanted to see Yeo, Harley Reid and Waterman combine and that’s exactly what happened with a goal in the first 20 seconds.

But from there it was all Fremantle.

Plenty of people had a close eye on Mason Cox in his first game for the Dockers. He finished with four disposals and 13 hit outs from 59 per cent game time.

There was a close watch on Serong too given he needs one more Glendinning-Allan Medal to break the record. But his fifth best-on-ground wasn’t ever on the horizon despite 24 disposals and one goal.

Hayden Young got through the game unscathed with 23 possessions.

Reuben Ginbey was the biggest positive for the Eagles. He wasn’t recruited to be a key defender, but he’s built himself into an extremely good one. He just kept competing all day and won some crucial contests. He is part of the future.

But right now , the Dockers are not only the dominant team in WA, they’re one of the most dominant teams in the country.

SCOREBOARD

FREMANTLE 2.4, 6.6, 10.10, 14.13 (97)

WEST COAST 0.6, 2.8, 4.8, 5.11 (41)

Goals – FREMANTLE: J Amiss 5 P Voss 3 J Treacy L Jackson N Erasmus J Clark S Bolton C Serong. WEST COAST: L Baker 2 J Waterman J Lindsay E Yeo.

Best – FREMANTLE: M Reid J Amiss J Clark H Young L Jackson P Voss. WEST COAST: T McCarthy R Ginbey L Baker E Yeo.

Umpires: D Johanson N Brown B Hosking P Bailes. Crowd: 54,232 at Optus Stadium.