THE ROSS Glendinning Medal lives on.

After days of bickering between Fremantle and West Coast, intervention from the West Australian Football Commission has ensured the 17-season Western Derby tradition will continue after compromise from both clubs.

The Dockers, the home team in this Sunday's historic clash at Optus Stadium, have agreed to award the Ross Glendinning Medal to the best player on the ground from either side.

However, the clubs and WAFC intend to add the name of a "significant Fremantle player" to the medal from the round 20 clash onwards.

Retrospective Glendinning medals will also be handed out to the best Docker or Eagle in the 12 derbies between 1995-2000, before Drew Banfield won the inaugural award in round four, 2001.

Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich lobbied hard to have a Dockers great's name added to the Glendinning medal and was pleased the impasse has been resolved.



"We believe this is a fair and appropriate outcome and we are pleased that our ongoing discussions with the West Coast Eagles and the WAFC have resulted in this outcome being achieved," Rosich said.



"We are now very much looking forward to the history-making first ever Western Derby at Optus Stadium on Sunday and the prospect of a crowd in the order of 58,000 people, which would be a record for an AFL game in Perth."

Eagles chief Trevor Nisbett spoke passionately about preserving derby history by retaining the Ross Glendinning Medal this week, but has accepted a compromise.



"We believe, when the medal was struck in 2001, that Ross' credentials were impeccable and deserved to be linked with such an award," Nisbett said.



"He was an outstanding player in a golden era for WA football, winning a Brownlow Medal, representing WA with distinction in State of Origin matches and, of course, was the cornerstone of the admission of the first WA team to join the expanded VFL competition.

"He was the first captain of the West Coast Eagles and continues to contribute to our club and the game more broadly."

Despite the resolution to the bitter stoush, a trophy won't be given to the winning side on Sunday while a naming rights partner is sought.

The Eagles have won the past five Western Derbies and lead the overall tally 26-20.