Struggling West Coast have the chance to deal Fremantle's top-four hopes a major blow, but they won't be treating Saturday night's western derby as a mini grand final.
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The Eagles (3-15) will finish in the bottom three for a third straight season, and they are still in danger of collecting a second straight wooden spoon.
Long-serving coach Adam Simpson parted ways with the club earlier this month, and the Eagles are currently riding a debilitating eight-match losing streak that has sucked the early-season optimism out of the frustrated fan base.
Western derbies are always big no matter where the teams sit on the ladder, and Saturday night's match represents a chance for West Coast to fly the flag in an emotion-charged environment.
West Coast interim coach Jarrad Schofield is in the unique position of having played in a western derby for both the Eagles and Dockers.
He also played in a number of Showdowns against Adelaide during his time at Port Adelaide.
But he won't be treating Saturday's match as anything more than what it is - a derby.
"I think it's a great opportunity for our young players to be exposed to this environment," Schofield said.
"Yeah, there's a little bit more because two WA teams are going at it, but it's not our grand final."
West Coast pulled off arguably the greatest derby shock when they beat Fremantle by 37 points earlier this year.
The Eagles were so dominant, their lead was 64 points by three-quarter time before Fremantle finally showed some fight in the final term.
West Coast rising star Harley Reid was the key to that victory, kicking three goals and tallying seven clearances in a display that almost won him the Glendinning-Allan medal as best afield.
Fremantle veteran Nat Fyfe has been used in a shutdown role on Sydney star Isaac Heeney and Melbourne gun Clayton Oliver in recent weeks, and he could be sent to quell Reid.
Dockers coach Justin Longmuir, with Schofield sitting right next to him, didn't want to give too much away when asked if Fyfe would get the job.
"What am I supposed to say to that ... sitting next to the opposition coach," Longmuir said with a laugh.
"I'm not going to give him (Schofield) too much. I'm sure they'll match up on each other at times.
"I mean, we don't get caught up in the spectacle of the game.
"We get caught up in trying to win stoppages and trying to kick more goals than them, so I'll let you guys work out the hype around that."
West Coast have been bolstered by the return of Jake Waterman, Jack Darling and Elliot Yeo, but Jeremy McGovern (ribs/lung) was a late scratching.
Fremantle will be without skipper Alex Pearce (fractured forearm) and Michael Walters (hamstring).
Australian Associated Press
