Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe is yet to be officially crowned a western derby hero, but he has been given 211 reasons to think that drought will end on Saturday night.
Fyfe has consistently performed well in games against arch AFL rivals West Coast, but he's yet to win the Glendinning-Allan Medal medal for best afield.
The 27-year-old has missed the past two derbies through injury, but he'll enter the latest instalment in hot form.
Aiding Fyfe's cause is the presence of 211cm ruckman Aaron Sandilands, who has been named despite missing more than a year with a calf problem.
Rory Lobb, who has missed a month with a foot fracture, will also return to form a formidable ruck pairing with Sandilands.
That duo will go head-to-head with Nic Naitanui and Tom Hickey in an enticing ruck battle.
Past and present Fremantle stars such as Matthew Pavlich, Paul Hasleby, Peter Bell, Clive Waterhouse, Lachie Neale, David Mundy, and Michael Barlow have all won at least one western derby medal for being best afield.
Fyfe has the chance to join them if he can produce a big game on Saturday, but Eagles midfielder Elliot Yeo is set to stand in his way.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson didn't want to reveal his cards when asked if Yeo would go to Fyfe yet again, as has been the case in previous derbies.
But either way, Simpson is expecting a big game from Yeo.
"They're both big, tall, strong powerful players, both A-grade players," Simpson said.
"A lot of our players like the big stage. You like players to step up on the big occasion.
"There's been some big moments in the last couple of years where Yeo has stood up for us. I'm not expecting anything different this week."
West Coast will post a record-equalling ninth straight derby win if they can come up trumps on Saturday night in front of a pro-Dockers crowd at Optus Stadium.
Dockers coach Ross Lyon is happy to have Fyfe at his disposal after he missed the previous two through injury.
"I coach better when I've got good players. So he makes me a better coach. I like that," Lyon said.
"Yeo has gone to him the last few times, and done quite well. So I'm sure Nathan is keen to handle that aspect coming at him."
West Coast have been bolstered by the return of star defensive duo Jeremy McGovern and Tom Barrass.
