Western derby: Jack Darling returns for West Coast Eagles as Fremantle Dockers lose veteran Michael Walters
Veteran West Coast forward Jack Darling and reigning Glendinning-Allan medallist Elliot Yeo lead a quartet of inclusions for West Coast for Saturday night’s western derby.
And the Dockers will be without a veteran of their own, with Michael Walters ruled out with a hamstring injury.
The Eagles have regained Yeo who missed the thumping loss to St Kilda with soreness as well as star defender Jeremy McGovern and leading goalkicker Jake Waterman for the clash at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
Darling also returns to the side for the first time since being dropped for the first time in his 293-game career, having been axed just days after the club parted ways with Adam Simpson.
Walters will miss because of a hamstring injury, a blow for the forward who was sidelined after a similar injury sustained in the Dockers’ round 14 loss to the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.
He joins captain Alex Pearce on the sidelines, with the skipper replaced by 20-year-old Josh Draper after he broke his arm for a second time in his comeback game at the weekend.
The 33-year-old is coming off a four-goal haul against Melbourne at the weekend, his best return since round 16 of last year.
Walters is replaced by Tom Emmett in the side to tackle the Eagles, who caused a western derby boilover in round six when they defeated the Dockers by 37 points.
![PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 21: Michael Walters of the Dockers celebrates a goal during the 2024 AFL Round 19 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Melbourne Demons at Optus Stadium on July 21, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/C-15476684/dae1892fd6d64f77e1484b046b5597c56597f77b.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Emmett has not played since round 11 when he was dropped after the draw against Collingwood, having not kicked a goal in his previous five games.
Waterman was one of the stars in the last derby with five goals including four in the first half to set up the win and comes back into the team having missed the defeat against the Saints because of a knee injury.
The son-of-a-gun has booted a career-best 41 goals in 15 games this year and will celebrate his 100th game for the Eagles when they run out at the weekend.
McGovern has missed the past two games after he fractured his ribs and punctured a lung in the loss to Melbourne in round 17 — which was Simpson’s last game as coach.
The Eagles have swung the axe after their 72-point loss to the Saints, with Campbell Chesser, Jack Petruccelle, Alex Witherden and Jamaine Jones all dropped.
![MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 07: Jeremy McGovern of the Eagles kicks during the round 17 AFL match between Melbourne Demons and West Coast Eagles at Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 07, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/C-15476684/0c2f012d61be2e2099b0d2c9fc8c69d34c3ca9bb.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Darling returns after being dropped following the loss to Melbourne earlier this month, playing his first WAFL game in nearly a decade when he kicked two goals and played as a forward ruck for the Eagles’ reserves side.
The premiership star will be part of a tall forward line at the Eagles that includes Waterman, Oscar Allen, forward-ruck Jack Williams and Jack Hutchinson.
West Coast are likely looking to stretch the Dockers’ defence in the absence of Pearce, with Draper, Brennan Cox and Luke Ryan having to play as the key defenders.
FREMANTLE v WEST COAST
Saturday, Optus Stadium, 6.10pm
FREMANTLE
B: L Ryan J Draper B Cox
HB: B Walker H Chapman J Clark
C: J O’Meara N Fyfe H Young
HF: S Sturt S Switkowski M Frederick
F: J Treacy J Amiss L Jackson
FOLL: S Darcy C Serong A Brayshaw
I/C: J Aish J Sharp B Banfield C Wagner T Emmett
EMG: C Simpson E Hughes P Voss
IN: J Draper T Emmett
OUT: A Pearce M Walters (both injured)
WEST COAST
B: T Cole T Barrass H Edwards
HB: J Hunt J McGovern B Hough
C: R Maric T Kelly L Edwards
HF: L Ryan J Waterman J Cripps
F: J Darling O Allen J Williams
FOLL: B Williams E Yeo H Reid
I/C: R Ginbey Z Trew J Rotham J Hutchinson J Culley
EMG: D Sheed J Petruccelle A Witherden
IN: J McGovern J Waterman J Darling E Yeo
OUT: A Witherden J Jones J Petruccelle C Chesser (all omitted)
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails