The Fremantle Dockers are soaring as genuine premiership contenders, while the West Coast Eagles have plummeted into a state of disarray. A third of the AFL season has passed, and the two Western Australian teams have never been more polarized in their title aspirations.
Dockers Display Grit and Resilience
On Thursday night, the Dockers overcame a 19-point deficit in the final quarter to defeat the red-hot Hawthorn Hawks 12.16 (88) to 11.7 (73) at Optus Stadium. This victory briefly propelled them to the top of the AFL ladder. Rarely in their 30-year history have the Dockers shown such tenacity, winning four of their eight games from behind. Three of those triumphs came away from home against teams that participated in the 2025 finals series. While it may be cliché, great teams find a way to win, and Fremantle is demonstrating that quality.
The Dockers have experienced false dawns before, most notably in 2021 when they boldly declared they would win a premiership by 2025. Predicting a first flag at this stage would be premature, but there is a distinct sense that something special is brewing in Fremantle.
Eagles in Freefall
In stark contrast, the West Coast Eagles are a rabble. Their 15.9 (99) to 9.13 (67) loss to Melbourne on Sunday highlighted their woes. The Eagles have won two of the last three wooden spoons and are on track for a fourth this season. Early promise, with comeback victories over North Melbourne and Port Adelaide, has evaporated. Devastating losses to Sydney (128 points), Geelong (46), Fremantle (56), and St Kilda (101) have crushed any optimism.
The Eagles hit a new low when they lost to an injury-ravaged and winless Richmond at home by 11 points. The 101-point drubbing by St Kilda was their ninth triple-figure loss since 2022; the other 17 AFL teams combined have only seven such losses in the same period. West Coast's fall from grace has been brutal.
Recruitment Failures
It is simplistic to blame the Eagles' woes solely on the 2019 trade for Tim Kelly, which cost them multiple high draft picks. However, by ignoring the best young talent, the club overestimated its ageing list. The four-time premiers have been forced to select mature-age recruits on the cheap to balance the youngest list in the AFL. Giving up pick three in the 2024 draft for Liam Baker and Matthew Owies looked good on paper, but Carlton used that pick to select Jagga Smith, who already looks like a ready-made replacement for Patrick Cripps. While Baker has added leadership, Owies has underperformed.
Dockers' Slow Burn Approach
While the Eagles have bungled their trading, the Dockers have built one of the best lists in the AFL through a methodical slow burn. List manager David Walls has assembled a team with the cunning of Hawthorn or Geelong. Fremantle has added class through recruits Luke Jackson, Jordan Clark, and Shai Bolton, along with astute selections like Josh Treacy, Patrick Voss, Mason Cox, and wunderkind Murphy Reid (pick 17 in 2024). With Hayden Young, Andrew Brayshaw, and Caleb Serong, the Dockers' midfield rivals the Brisbane Lions.
Luke Jackson is their biggest weapon. His ability to control the game was evident against Hawthorn, where he ignited the Dockers in the final quarter. The 24-year-old is one of the most damaging big men in the game, consistently ranking first or second in hitouts differential and hitouts to advantage differential. If he stays fit, he could soon earn a second premiership medallion.
Glimmer of Hope for Eagles
For West Coast, a glimmer of light exists in Harley Reid and Willem Duursma, two dynamic young players. However, two teenagers should not bear the burden of such a massive rebuild. The Eagles would be wise to study Fremantle's playbook and become ruthless in recruitment. As the Dockers have shown, sometimes a slow burn is the only path back to the top.
