This was extraordinary, tough, brave, error riddled, fantastic theatre and in the end, probably inevitable.

If you were sending a message to the raging hot favourite Eagles in the wake of this it might be along the lines of – the Dockers came pretty close to taking this from you.

And if you had to send a message to the Dockers it would be along the lines of just … add … skill … please.

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West Coast didn’t so much dodge a bullet. The Dockers loaded the gun, took aim and missed anyway. A clear Fremantle win in contested possession, two more shots on goal. A 13 point loss.

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Western Derby 49 became West Coast’s eighth derby win in a row but not before Fremantle stretched them to the limit in an extraordinary battle of attrition and error exchanges.

The Dockers were brilliantly and heroically led by David Mundy, standing in as captain for the concussed Nat Fyfe.

Mundy has played 298 games for Fremantle now and is 33 years old. He hasn’t played many better than this one. He stood like a colossus in the midfield when West Coast threatened to take this game well beyond Fremantle’s reach.

He was still surging when the siren went. His 36 possessions, 23 in contests, 10 clearances and four inside 50s stood like a beacon for the Dockers.

But the home team had a captain too and he too was was magnificent.

Camera Icon PERTH, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 14: Joel Hamling, Rory Lobb and Michael Walters of the Dockers crash into each other during the 2019 AFL round 04 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers at Optus Stadium on April 14, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos) Credit: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos / AFL Photos

Shannon Hurn had the ball 32 times and a Glendinning-Allan Medal to take home at the end. When Hurn gets it 32 times an opposition team is likely to get hurt at some point.

He, Jack Redden, Andrew Gaff and Jack Darling, who kicked three goals, were the main reasons West Coast kept their derby record intact.

Gaff finished with 35 touches. He had brought his own ball for half a game before Fremantle’s pressure started to take it off him.

But at the end of the day – here it is in a nutshell folks: At quarter time, the Dockers led the Eagles 42-32 in contested possession, had had as many inside 50 entries and just one fewer shot on goal but trailed by 26 points.

Play Video After a third derby medal win, Shannon Hurn has been praised for his 'Benjamin Button' qualities by Phil Davis. The West Australian Video After a third derby medal win, Shannon Hurn has been praised for his 'Benjamin Button' qualities by Phil Davis.

West Coast had kicked five goals from six shots and the Dockers were goalless from five which included a soda from the top of the goal square missed by Matt Taberner and a 45- metre setm shot from dead in front missed by Michael Walters.

Western derby 49 wasn’t over by a long shot.

But if you wanted the symptoms that decided it, they were on the stats sheet in the first quarter.

West Coast are the reigning premier – a team that thrive on ball use and efficiency to the point it has become a hallmark of their game.

And Fremantle are mighty in their effort, good in their structures and resilient in their persistence, but lack the polish to finish the job.

Taberner played mightily but butchered chances.

Others weren’t clinical enough to create them.

When Hurn gets it 32 times an opposition team is likely to get hurt at some point.