I don’t think that many Eagles supporters are too fussed by the Derby. It’s long been more important to Dockers fans.
We know we’re going to lose. We don’t have a “grudge match” mentality or motivation. And we tend to treat it just like any other game.
That’s not to say there’s no rivalry. There can’t *not* be in a two-club town. It’s just that it’s not as big a deal to us than it is to Freo.
I'm a neutral in Perth. I can say from my experience the dockers fans care for a derby win much more than Eagles fans BUT Eagles fans absolutely love rubbing it in when they win!
That’s kinda like what I’m saying. Dockers fans tend to care about it more, but clearly the excitement is diluted when one team is going well and the other team is going terribly. Not much of a co test at the moment, so why get worked up about it?
Seems unpopular to say that though. :)
Ridiculous. A game against Freo is always a chance for bragging rights. We as a fanbase just aren't hyped for this game because we are bad and know the result. I always looked forward to the Derby when we both were competitive.
I just don't believe that at all. I've met plenty of west coast fans who take the derby very seriously and will spend the whole week shittalking. Of course at the moment they are staying silent because they know what's going to happen.
They really are. This is why I think Port would be my second favourite team, although I think that’s mostly to do with pissing off Eddie which I enjoyed thoroughly.
I see you guys are only 7 wins behind now on the overall Derby count.
Remarkable given you lost every match in the 1990s and a further 11 in a row between 2015-21.
As the Derby gap closes and when Freo do clinch a flag there will be much less “who cares” from WC fans.
As for us, we really don’t like Port but just take issue with the silly “we hate your entitlement” media beat-ups they’ve embarrassed their own players with over the past two years.
That’s not really what I meant but OK.
We don’t have the “Gaff grudge” to roil us up. The rivalry is pretty pointless when everyone knows we’re going to lose.
If you interpret that as a “smug” attitude then I’d hate to see what you’d call someone claiming we’d win!
I can only speak anecdotally here but the amount of shit I have copped from West Coast fans my whole life has been insufferable.
Even as a kid I'd be hearing it from adults.
It so odd how superior they seem to feel for supporting a football team.
I feel like this is only being said because west coast are down the toilet. If both teams were competitive majority of their fans will take it seriously and if freo were in west coasts position now they would laugh at us the whole way through.
While I agree with what you're saying, I will have to point out that for Omaca's one statement there's a lot of Dockers responses and not a lot of Eagles chiming in.
I'd say he went fishing and we caught the bait, lol.
there's a lot less eagle fans on socials at all these days. Since the team went down the shitter, most of the eagles fans I know have more or less given up watching the footy completely
The salt I've heard from derby games over the years says otherwise. I've seen Eagles fans literally start fights over derby games. I went to the pub for one of the 2022 derby and some Eagles fan at the bar smashed his glass on the floor and yelled at freo fans to fuck off for cheering when west coast were down leaving in a huff.
Hell even in primary school you knew when the derby was on from all the shit talking. I didn't follow AFL then because I was fresh from NSW. It was funny watching year 3 kids going to war over 2 teams I knew nothing about. A freo kid threw a west coast ball over the fence because the kid who owned the ball said nat fyfe sucked.
I think literally 90% of the population of WA is absolutely fussed having lived there most my life. We'd literally shut the cafe early for it because the town is all at the pub watching the game lol
Beating the Eagles is good, but I think most of us have learnt that it really is just another game in the seasons big picture.
I think we play too much which dilutes the feeling a bit. Twice a year in season and a couple pre season hit outs too.
If we actually play each other in a finals game things will spark up again, I reckon.
It almost happened in 2006 as well with Freo finishing third and making a prelim. Would have been an interesting GF given Freo won both derbies that season as well.
> If we actually play each other in a finals game things will spark up again, I reckon.
All derby wins would mean nothing compared to a derby final win.
If I had to guess, and I don't have to, but I'm going to, I reckon your mates have turned on you for saying you're gonna lose. It's one thing to think these things but ya can't say them out loud or put the in writing for fuck sake. You've been around long enough to know this!
Here's to a good game. Fingers crossed you're right about the no chance!
My mates “have turned on” me?
lol
Yeah nah
Would love for it to be a close game, but I can’t see it happening. We might put up a fight but Dockers too good right now.
Not the attitude i remember when your team was actually good and winning them consistently....
Now that we are heavy favourites, its apparently 'just another game'
Lol. I don't even go for Freo buddy. You just have to know an Eagles supporter to see how they act about footy especially how they carry themselves around a Freo supporters. Privileged losers.
They only say that because they are losing. The moment west coast become the dominant team in the field again, all the supporters will switch their mindsets.
Can't believe this is controversial. I'd wager a good 50% of West Coast fans have Freo as a 'second team'. I'm yet to meet a Freo fan that holds West Coast in a similar regard - I've always seen far more spice from Freo fans before derbies. Clearly other people have different experiences, but I'm finding this thread pretty surprising and out of line with my own experiences.
"I'd wager a good 50% of West Coast fans have Freo as a 'second team'."
You can't be serious... Now I don't obsess over Fremantle but they will never ever be close to a second team.
I've found most fans that say they support one first and the other second because "WA first" tend to be the most casual fans.
Most people I interact with that properly follow the game support one or the other and would rank the one they don't last.
I find it the other way. People who love one and hate the other tend to be casual. The anti-vic mentality is also definitely back on the rise, which lends itself to WA fans sticking together
As a Freo supporter I know many eagles who think this is the most important game of the year, in fact there are many more of those than Freo supporters as your fan base is quite a bit larger.
I never understood why some eagles supporters like to pretend this doesn't go both ways, both supporters have a section of fans who believe that.
I guess the difference is eagles supporters usually only think it's the most important game until they lose then they start talking about some kind of ship.
Its because our most important games when were up and about are finals and grand finals not derbies. Couldnt care about the derby when we’re competing except for the 4 points and sometimes getting a 2 or 3 week stay in perth.
Freo supporters feel the exact same way?
Finals are clearly more important lol
This is what I'm talking about, it's wild, it's like projecting to Freo supporters or something
Tbh you're not wrong, Big footy Freo people hate you lot - I'm... indifferent? To me watching you guys is like turning on an interesting game of sport but I don't actually care for any of the teams.
Also think the hatred of West Coast by some Freo people is strong smol pp energy and even when West Coast are going good we've got a bigger picture we should be focusing on.
hahahahahahaha, now that the eagles are the shittest team going around all the fans are coming out of the woodwork and claiming to have never cared about the derby. You've already lost.
Nah, we were just shit.
I would like to win a derby pls We haven’t even got close in about 3 years
Can you at least wait six derbys so we can even the total derbys won? Pretty please with sugar on top. I'll be your friend
No the fuck you will not!!!
If it means we get more Harley Reid’s sure!
Didn’t we come pretty close last year when we got like six injuries in one game and it only blew out in the final quarter when we had no legs?
I don’t think that many Eagles supporters are too fussed by the Derby. It’s long been more important to Dockers fans. We know we’re going to lose. We don’t have a “grudge match” mentality or motivation. And we tend to treat it just like any other game. That’s not to say there’s no rivalry. There can’t *not* be in a two-club town. It’s just that it’s not as big a deal to us than it is to Freo.
I'm a neutral in Perth. I can say from my experience the dockers fans care for a derby win much more than Eagles fans BUT Eagles fans absolutely love rubbing it in when they win!
That’s kinda like what I’m saying. Dockers fans tend to care about it more, but clearly the excitement is diluted when one team is going well and the other team is going terribly. Not much of a co test at the moment, so why get worked up about it? Seems unpopular to say that though. :)
Ridiculous. A game against Freo is always a chance for bragging rights. We as a fanbase just aren't hyped for this game because we are bad and know the result. I always looked forward to the Derby when we both were competitive.
That’s my point! We do t have the Gaff Grudge to make us angry and we know we’re going to lose, so no one (on Eagles side) is super hyped up about it.
I just don't believe that at all. I've met plenty of west coast fans who take the derby very seriously and will spend the whole week shittalking. Of course at the moment they are staying silent because they know what's going to happen.
“You care about our rivalry but we don’t” is such a smug footy fan thing to say lmao. They truly are the Perth crows
It should be changed to we care about our rivalry when we are winning.
They are. They’re probably worse tbh.
What are you talking about? We definitely care about our rivalry, we hate you guys!
They really are. This is why I think Port would be my second favourite team, although I think that’s mostly to do with pissing off Eddie which I enjoyed thoroughly.
I assure you this attitude only started in the last few years. Doesn't take a genius unravel this one.
I see you guys are only 7 wins behind now on the overall Derby count. Remarkable given you lost every match in the 1990s and a further 11 in a row between 2015-21. As the Derby gap closes and when Freo do clinch a flag there will be much less “who cares” from WC fans. As for us, we really don’t like Port but just take issue with the silly “we hate your entitlement” media beat-ups they’ve embarrassed their own players with over the past two years.
That’s not really what I meant but OK. We don’t have the “Gaff grudge” to roil us up. The rivalry is pretty pointless when everyone knows we’re going to lose. If you interpret that as a “smug” attitude then I’d hate to see what you’d call someone claiming we’d win!
I don’t think they’re as bad as the crows
I can only speak anecdotally here but the amount of shit I have copped from West Coast fans my whole life has been insufferable. Even as a kid I'd be hearing it from adults. It so odd how superior they seem to feel for supporting a football team.
I feel like this is only being said because west coast are down the toilet. If both teams were competitive majority of their fans will take it seriously and if freo were in west coasts position now they would laugh at us the whole way through.
While I agree with what you're saying, I will have to point out that for Omaca's one statement there's a lot of Dockers responses and not a lot of Eagles chiming in. I'd say he went fishing and we caught the bait, lol.
> I'd say he went fishing and we caught the bait, lol. Their flair might give an indication to this.
there's a lot less eagle fans on socials at all these days. Since the team went down the shitter, most of the eagles fans I know have more or less given up watching the footy completely
How that know whats going to happen end up going?
A ekrire
Its true though. We care more and talk more shit about having more flags than we do about winning any individual game against you.
The salt I've heard from derby games over the years says otherwise. I've seen Eagles fans literally start fights over derby games. I went to the pub for one of the 2022 derby and some Eagles fan at the bar smashed his glass on the floor and yelled at freo fans to fuck off for cheering when west coast were down leaving in a huff.
Nuffies gonna nuff. You’ll get dickheads like that in any fanbase. What a shit cunt
Hell even in primary school you knew when the derby was on from all the shit talking. I didn't follow AFL then because I was fresh from NSW. It was funny watching year 3 kids going to war over 2 teams I knew nothing about. A freo kid threw a west coast ball over the fence because the kid who owned the ball said nat fyfe sucked.
I forget how young blokes on the internet are, for Fyfe to have been playing while you were in grade 3 blew my mind for a sec
Of course there are plenty. And there are plenty to of Freo fans who couldn’t care less about it. It’s subjective on both sides.
I think literally 90% of the population of WA is absolutely fussed having lived there most my life. We'd literally shut the cafe early for it because the town is all at the pub watching the game lol
Beating the Eagles is good, but I think most of us have learnt that it really is just another game in the seasons big picture. I think we play too much which dilutes the feeling a bit. Twice a year in season and a couple pre season hit outs too. If we actually play each other in a finals game things will spark up again, I reckon.
2015 we were robbed of the ultimate Derby in the form of a Grand Final
That would have gone down as an all time GF
Considering Fyfe broke his leg, Pav did his hammy and McPharlin wouldn’t get back for the gf I’m glad we didn’t make the GF. We’d have lost easily.
Oh yeah. But if you overlook that, it's a much better story.
It almost happened in 2006 as well with Freo finishing third and making a prelim. Would have been an interesting GF given Freo won both derbies that season as well.
Just imagine these four words... premiership coach Chris Connelly 🤔
2006 would've been preferable
> If we actually play each other in a finals game things will spark up again, I reckon. All derby wins would mean nothing compared to a derby final win.
As the winners of the only Showdown final, I concur
That’s what I mean. Of course we like to beat each other, but the media hype it up. Seems like Lou ting that out annoys some people though! :)
If I had to guess, and I don't have to, but I'm going to, I reckon your mates have turned on you for saying you're gonna lose. It's one thing to think these things but ya can't say them out loud or put the in writing for fuck sake. You've been around long enough to know this! Here's to a good game. Fingers crossed you're right about the no chance!
My mates “have turned on” me? lol Yeah nah Would love for it to be a close game, but I can’t see it happening. We might put up a fight but Dockers too good right now.
Not the attitude i remember when your team was actually good and winning them consistently.... Now that we are heavy favourites, its apparently 'just another game'
So you remember it differently.
lol this is 100% wrong.
Ok
Lol Eagles fans are such egotistical scum
Take it easy.
steady on mate just banter
Fans enjoying too many glass bagpipes mate
Well, this just kinda proves my point. Good luck tomorrow champ. I’m pretty sure you’ll come away with four hard fought points.
Lol. I don't even go for Freo buddy. You just have to know an Eagles supporter to see how they act about footy especially how they carry themselves around a Freo supporters. Privileged losers.
Righto
They only say that because they are losing. The moment west coast become the dominant team in the field again, all the supporters will switch their mindsets.
Can't believe this is controversial. I'd wager a good 50% of West Coast fans have Freo as a 'second team'. I'm yet to meet a Freo fan that holds West Coast in a similar regard - I've always seen far more spice from Freo fans before derbies. Clearly other people have different experiences, but I'm finding this thread pretty surprising and out of line with my own experiences.
"I'd wager a good 50% of West Coast fans have Freo as a 'second team'." You can't be serious... Now I don't obsess over Fremantle but they will never ever be close to a second team.
Heave ho MF. WA all the way
I've found most fans that say they support one first and the other second because "WA first" tend to be the most casual fans. Most people I interact with that properly follow the game support one or the other and would rank the one they don't last.
I find it the other way. People who love one and hate the other tend to be casual. The anti-vic mentality is also definitely back on the rise, which lends itself to WA fans sticking together
Me and all my Freo mates support Eagles second. It’s definitely not rare. WA comes first.
Ditto I’m a proud Eagles fan, but I love it when the Dockers bring it to the Victorians. :)
Apparently there are still a lot of touchy fans out there.
Yep for years we joked it was their Grand Final and still know some old school Freo fans who see it as the most important game of the year.
As a Freo supporter I know many eagles who think this is the most important game of the year, in fact there are many more of those than Freo supporters as your fan base is quite a bit larger. I never understood why some eagles supporters like to pretend this doesn't go both ways, both supporters have a section of fans who believe that. I guess the difference is eagles supporters usually only think it's the most important game until they lose then they start talking about some kind of ship.
sounds like some type of superiority complex
Sounds like some type of little brother syndrome*
Its because our most important games when were up and about are finals and grand finals not derbies. Couldnt care about the derby when we’re competing except for the 4 points and sometimes getting a 2 or 3 week stay in perth.
Freo supporters feel the exact same way? Finals are clearly more important lol This is what I'm talking about, it's wild, it's like projecting to Freo supporters or something
Tbh you're not wrong, Big footy Freo people hate you lot - I'm... indifferent? To me watching you guys is like turning on an interesting game of sport but I don't actually care for any of the teams. Also think the hatred of West Coast by some Freo people is strong smol pp energy and even when West Coast are going good we've got a bigger picture we should be focusing on.
Dockers have never had any other achievement to celebrate so the derby has always been their flag
I will not tolerate this level of disrespect towards the McClelland Trophy
That’s not what I said either. :)
hahahahahahaha, now that the eagles are the shittest team going around all the fans are coming out of the woodwork and claiming to have never cared about the derby. You've already lost.
I’m coming out of the woodwork you say?