The eight best South West derby performances: Featuring Adam Hunter, Lewis Jetta, Connor Blakely & more

Ahead of one of the biggest western derbies of all time and with four South West products on the list of WA-based AFL clubs, journalist Jackson Barrett has taken a trip down memory lane and pulled out eight of the best performances in by local boys in WA’s biggest game. 8. Jason Norrish (FRE) — round three, 1997 West Coast 16.15 (111) def Fremantle 9.17 (71) Having moved from Melbourne to become an inaugural Docker, Norrish played in 11 derbies, but this one is the first of two that stand out. It came in a losing effort, but Norrish was Fremantle’s leading disposal winner for the day with 25, working in and under in a midfield that was swamped on the day by its far more experienced opponents. He also managed six marks, as the Dockers tried to limit the damage against a rampant Eagles outfit. 7. Ashton Hams (WCE) — round one, 2013 Fremantle 16.12 (108) def West Coast 11.14 (80) In his third and final western derby, former Busselton Magpie Ashton Hams got the Eagles off to a dream start. Hams was involved in everything early, sitting under a high ball and taking heavy contact to mark in the goal square for the Eagles’ second goal of the day, before backing it up with a booming left-foot kick from just outside 50 for their third. Then with the game on the line and champion small forward Mark LeCras off the ground, Hams stepped up again, delivering a perfect ball inside 50 for Josh Hill to goal and keep the Eagles in the game. He finished with 13 touches, four inside-50s and 2.1. 6. Adam Hunter (WCE) — round three, 2007 West Coast 14.17 (101) def Fremantle 11.4 (70) This derby couldn’t have started any better for Hunter. After a one-two play on the wing, he delivered a ball inside 50 to the advantage of Steven Armstrong, who goaled inside the first minute. Starting the game on a wing, he was his side’s second-leading disposal winner with 25 but did spend time in his more familiar half-back role and had five rebound 50s as he gave his side drive from that part of the ground. It was one of the finest of his 13 derby performances — the most of any South West player. 5. Connor Blakely (FRE) — round six, 2018 West Coast 13.1 (89) def Fremantle 12.9 (81) He has never played in a derby victory, but Blakely averages more disposals against West Coast than all but two teams in the AFL. On this day, which ended in heartbreak for the Dockers after kicking four of the first five goals, he was second only to Lachie Neale for disposals, collecting 31. His size and contested ball-winning ability were key for the Dockers in the days before the likes of Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra started to play big midfield minutes, and he freed-up Nathan Fyfe to be a real forward threat. He also had four tackles, eight marks and two inside 50s. 4. Adam Hunter (WCE) — round three, 2008 West Coast 12.15 (87) def Fremantle 10.13 (73) This was a commanding and workmanlike performance from Hunter in a West Coast Eagles back line that very quickly fell off a cliff after its golden years of the middle part of the decade. Aside from Darren Glass and an ageing David Wirrapunda, control of the Eagles’ back line was shifted to the likes of Hunter and Brent Staker, and the pair stood tall in this losing effort. The South Bunbury Tiger took 13 marks, easily a game high and his second-highest tally across 151 games. He used the ball efficiently with his 23 disposals, had three tackles and two inside-50s. 3. Connor Blakely (FRE) — round 17, 2017 West Coast 11.8 (74) def Fremantle 5.14 (44) The final derby played at Subiaco Oval was a dirty day for the Dockers, as their kicking woes kept them out of a game they should have been in. But even in a side that lost so dismally, it was Connor Blakely’s best derby effort. Playing as part of Ross Lyon’s back six at the time, Blakely had a massive 33 disposals, including 23 kicks, 11 marks, six tackles and four inside 50s. He shook off a costly error kicking out from defence which gifted Jeremy McGovern a goal to dispose of the ball at 90 per cent and earn one Brownlow vote. 2. Lewis Jetta (WCE) — round three 2016 West Coast 12.20 (92) def Fremantle 8.11 (59) This was the night West Coast fans fell in love with their new recruit, Lewis Jetta. The Bunbury born speedster had already made a name for himself during a 127-game career at the Sydney Swans, which included a premiership, but it was in this typically spiteful derby arm wrestle that he endeared himself in the west. Jetta kicked his first goal for the club early in the third quarter, before unleashing a bomb from outside 50, under considerable pressure, to ice the game — putting his side 19 points up with eight minutes to play. It would start an onslaught, and the Eagles would march on to a 33-point victory. He also had 17 disposals, five marks and five inside 50s. 1. Jason Norrish (FRE) — round 16, 1999 Fremantle 17.17 (119) def West Coast 11.6 (72) Fremantle’s first derby win is most fondly remembered for a Tony Modra clinic inside 50, but their first-ever South West product was also a driving force behind the famous victory. Playing through the midfield and left pretty well unaccompanied by a West Coast side who had won the first nine games between the two sides, Norrish had 32 disposals — 18 of which were kicks — which left him behind only teammate Adrian Fletcher (39) for the game. He also delivered eight inside -50s, flying down the southern wing at Subiaco Oval providing excellent service to Modra for his six goals and Brad Wirra for his three as the Dockers celebrated the drought-breaking win on a wet Sunday evening. In this performance he become the only South West player to poll more than one Brownlow vote in a derby.

The eight best South West derby performances: Featuring Adam Hunter, Lewis Jetta, Connor Blakely & more

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