Which club is West Coast's biggest rival?

West Coast's biggest rival?


  • Total voters
    104

King Cold

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Nov 9, 2011
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Geelong
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Interesting to see which club West Coast fans view as being their biggest rival and why.
 
Apr 30, 2015
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It's clearly Freo.

However, I see us having three distinct rivalries:

1. Freo. The little brother down the road with the massive chips on their shoulder.

2. Sydney. A blazing, short-lived rivalry lasting about half a dozen consecutive games in the mid-2000s, including 4 finals and 2 GFs.

3. Collingwood. Hear me out now. This is purely a finals rivalry. I'm struggling to think of two teams that have been as competitive head-to-head in finals match-ups in the AFL era (and let's face it, pre-AFL era is just bush league, black & white irrelevance). Starting with the 1990 QF draw, our finals match-ups tend to be epics for the ages.
 
Over the journey? Probably Freo.

Best historical rival, Sydney for the heights and intensity or Geelong for the stakes during the 90s.

Current? I like the little collision course West Coast and Collingwood have found themselves on of late, albeit not exactly one of the all time rivalries but rather a nice little collection of close games over a few years.
 
Sep 16, 2006
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3. Collingwood. Hear me out now. This is purely a finals rivalry. I'm struggling to think of two teams that have been as competitive head-to-head in finals match-ups in the AFL era (and let's face it, pre-AFL era is just bush league, black & white irrelevance). Starting with the 1990 QF draw, our finals match-ups tend to be epics for the ages.
Apart from the two finals in 2018 and the QF in 1994 we seem to be on the wrong end of these epics. 😥
 

The Passenger

The passenger, I am...
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Mar 25, 2003
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3. Collingwood. Hear me out now. This is purely a finals rivalry. I'm struggling to think of two teams that have been as competitive head-to-head in finals match-ups in the AFL era (and let's face it, pre-AFL era is just bush league, black & white irrelevance). Starting with the 1990 QF draw, our finals match-ups tend to be epics for the ages.
Pretty good call. 9 finals matches between the two clubs with 8 decided by 20 points or less. Two level after four quarters and three others with less than a kick in it. They've also played out across three distinct era's (early 90's, 07-12 and 18-20) so it's been quite enduring. Unlike say Geelong which is entirely centred around the early 90's GF's and Swans in the 05/06 GF's.
 

Rowan18

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 20, 2018
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It's clearly Freo.

However, I see us having three distinct rivalries:

1. Freo. The little brother down the road with the massive chips on their shoulder.

2. Sydney. A blazing, short-lived rivalry lasting about half a dozen consecutive games in the mid-2000s, including 4 finals and 2 GFs.

3. Collingwood. Hear me out now. This is purely a finals rivalry. I'm struggling to think of two teams that have been as competitive head-to-head in finals match-ups in the AFL era (and let's face it, pre-AFL era is just bush league, black & white irrelevance). Starting with the 1990 QF draw, our finals match-ups tend to be epics for the ages.
Nah, I don't think Freo is much of a rival at all. They just arent a threat, never really succeeding at anything. Add in the fact that a lot of middle age people and casual supporters go for both teams ("I go for the WA teams"), I don't think is much of a rivalry at all.

I agree with others who say our rivals are those who compete with us for biggest and most successful. Hawthorn is number one - we just can't handle them in finals. Collingwood has given us a very close finals rivalry (two full time draws, several finals decided by small margins and an all time classic GF). If Richmond stay successful, then I see them becoming one as well.

Geelong would be up there if they could win more GF. We've also got a 50/50 finals record against them.
 

DanWCE

Brownlow Medallist
Apr 2, 2015
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Nah, I don't think Freo is much of a rival at all. They just arent a threat, never really succeeding at anything. Add in the fact that a lot of middle age people and casual supporters go for both teams ("I go for the WA teams"), I don't think is much of a rivalry at all.

I agree with others who say our rivals are those who compete with us for biggest and most successful. Hawthorn is number one - we just can't handle them in finals. Collingwood has given us a very close finals rivalry (two full time draws, several finals decided by small margins and an all time classic GF). If Richmond stay successful, then I see them becoming one as well.

Geelong would be up there if they could win more GF. We've also got a 50/50 finals record against them.

We haven't matched up on Richmond enough to develop a genuine rivalry. There was a good opportunity for it over the last few years but whoever does the fixture didn't agree.

Totally agree on your point about Freo. I don't see that as much of a rivalry, and I doubt the club do either.
 

gsmiths_s

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Sep 3, 2010
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1) Collingwood due to the crazy amount of times we have played them in the finals (9) including a draw from a left footed hook into a post and that Grand Final win by a different left footer.
2) Essendon was massive in the 90's due to the Sheedy cut throat at Mitchell White and the fact they always beat us in the finals. MCG deal gave them an advantage one year and it should have been played in Perth.
3) Had a crazy run with Sydney with all the close games in 05-07 including 4 finals. They even beat us in 04 in the lighting game (was it that year?).
HM: to Hawthorn (2x GF losses) and Geelong (2 x GF wins).
Noting: Essendon 46.43% , Port 44.1% and Sydney 41.51% are the only sides we register a loss more often then we win.

Fremantle just doesn't feel like a rivalry. There has never been a Derby final with 2015 the closest we got to getting a GF but Hawthorn spoiled the party.
 

King Cold

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Nov 9, 2011
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Nah, I don't think Freo is much of a rival at all. They just arent a threat, never really succeeding at anything. Add in the fact that a lot of middle age people and casual supporters go for both teams ("I go for the WA teams"), I don't think is much of a rivalry at all.

True.

I do think Sydney vs GWS and Adelaide vs Port Adelaide are both genuine cross town rivalries, in that the two clubs know they're genuine threats to one another, there's bad blood between both sides and they've matched up against each other in finals matches.

West Coast-Fremantle feels more like Brisbane-Gold Coast in my opinion in that they're generic cross town rivalries and have never played each other in any matches of any significance.
 
Essendone.

The jacket waving is for real. I hate, hate, hate losing to Essendon.

I also have a problem with Hawthorn for beating us in 2 GF. I hope I live to see the day where we get one back on them in the big dance.
Indeed, * Essendon
 
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