AFLW fixture: West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers to meet in Optus Stadium western derby

Daisy Pearce’s eagerly-awaited debut coaching season for West Coast will feature an Optus Stadium derby blockbuster against Fremantle. Western Australia’s showpiece women’s football match will return to Optus Stadium as part of the new AFLW fixture released today, with the sides to meet on a Saturday evening in round eight. The prime time clash isn’t the only high-profile fixture for the Eagles — despite their recent struggles — with the club to also help open the season with a Friday clash on the first night of the season against Richmond at Mineral Resources Park. The Dockers face Essendon at the historic Windy Hill in round one the next day. West Coast will play a Thursday night clash with the Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval in round three as part of the league’s push to utilise weeknights — including Tuesdays and Wednesdays — this season. They will also face Collingwood on a Tuesday in round four. Fremantle will face St Kilda as part of the league’s pre-AFL grand final extravaganza in Melbourne. Despite it being a public holiday in Victoria, the Dockers will play during working hours for WA-based fans for the second year running. The Dockers finish their season at home against the Western Bulldogs, while the Eagles head to Henson Park to face the Swans. The western derby is a West Coast home game after the two sides met at Fremantle Oval last season. The game, which will be Fremantle recruit Aisling McCarthy’s first against her former side, starts at 4.05pm on October 19 and is a nationally-broadcast game on Channel 7. The clubs and the league will be hoping to push the crowd figure of 41,975 set at the same ground when Fremantle hosted Collingwood in 2018. The AFLW is open to hosting other marquee games at big stadiums and will continue to work with clubs to make it happen. “The NAB AFLW is starting to see the establishment of traditional marquee games and club rivalries being cemented,” AFL scheduling boss Josh Bowler said. “The mid-week matches will fall during the school holidays and provide great opportunities for fans to attend and watch at home on evenings that traditionally don’t have footy. “We felt it was important for our fans to maintain the weekend timeslot structure we have seen in previous seasons, whilst also adding an additional game mid-week across the middle of the competition.” Reigning premiers Brisbane will get their title defence underway with a grand-final rematch against North Melbourne at Brighton Homes Arena on September 1. This year’s grand final has been locked in for November 30 after a four-week finals series. Announced earlier in the week the women’s Dreamtime match between Essendon and Richmond will be held in Darwin for the first time on October 26. Hawthorn will also take their Indigenous Round match north again when they host Melbourne in Cairns.