Star Fremantle midfielder Lachie Neale feared his lack of pace would cost him the chance to realise his AFL dream - but he's thankful the Dockers took a punt on him.

• Brendan Foster

Dockers' sharp shooter Michael Walters has come out in defence of his former captain Matthew Pavlich after he had a pot shot at Midland during the coverage of the Fremantle and Essendon game.

• Kim Hagdorn

Bold efforts from Dockers authorities to win the gutsy rising star is tipped to spark a bidding war with bitter rival West Coast to lure injured Adelaide forward Mitch McGovern back to his home state.

• Brendan Foster

Former Fremantle legend Matthew Pavlich's could find himself in hot water for his careless and "casual racist" comment about Dockers goal sneak Michael Walters.

• Staff reporters

Will West Coast maintain it's impressive record at the Adelaide Oval and can the Dockers bounce back from one of the tamest Western Derbies ever? Our crack(pot) panel looks ahead to all the action in round seven.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson has said it's touch and go whether star ruckman Nic Naitanui will return to the AFL this season.

• COMMENT
• Brad Hardie

Forget all the talk about Nat Fyfe heading to the Saints, because the big fish St Kilda is trying to land is Giants young gun Josh Kelly.

He's not as pesky as Ryan Crowley, but Fremantle have unearthed a new lockdown king in the form of Connor Blakely.

• Brendan Foster

Aging pugilists Anthony Mundine and Danny Green look set to resume their bitter hostilities with a third bout on the cards for Perth later in the year.

• Kim Hagdorn

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has leapt to the defence of his out of sorts small forward Michael Walters.

• Brendan Foster

Former Dockers great Paul Hasleby says the infamous "Demolition Derby" is often seen as a significant moment in Fremantle's history when the players took a stance and refused to be bullied by the 'mob down the road.

• Staff reporters

Round six is all about the Western Derby. Who will win? West Coast or Fremantle? Our crack(pot) panel runs the rule over the biggest game of the season for WA football fans.

• Brendan Foster

Plunging toothpicks into a voodoo doll to prevent an Eagles player kicking a goal, seems like an irrational and superstitious ritual that defies logic.

• Tim Carrier

West Coast youngster Kurt Mutimer will face a baptism of fire in his first game after chosen to make his debut for the Eagles in Saturday night's Western Derby.

• Brad Hardie

It's no secret the West Coast need to inject some speed into their midfield, so it could be time for Matt Priddis to play more of a tagging role and the Eagles to throw some youth into the middle.

West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff denies his team are mentally scarred by their MCG flops, saying they simply haven't played well enough whenever they've travelled to the venue.

The Western Force have dismissed reports their future hinges on next week's meeting with the ARU, saying the governing body has no legal rights to remove them from the Super Rugby competition.

• COMMENT
• Tim Carrier

If the Eagles want to be genuine premiership contenders then Adam Simpson must swing his All-Australian, defensive general Jeremy McGovern forward.

• Brad Hardie

It's totally irrelevant what happens on Thursday night. West Coast are in a state of denial.

• Justin Rake

'A week is a long time in football'. Never have words rung truer for the Fremantle Football Club.

Fremantle's Harley Bennell has suffered yet another setback in his quest to play his first AFL game for the Dockers, a new calf injury sidelining him for up to 10 weeks.

• Staff writers

Our crack(pot) panel returns to run the rule over round three of the 2017 AFL season.

• Kim Hagdorn

The next time highly controversial Fremantle recruit Harley Bennell attempts another training comeback could define whether his AFL career is over.

• Brendan Foster

As promised, Dockers coach Ross Lyon has swung the axe with six players given the chop after Fremantle's dismal display against Port last weekend.

• Tim Carrier

Ross Lyon has said he will ring the changes and 'play the kids' following a disastrous start to the season. So who's left in the shed for Lyon to call upon?

• Brendan Foster

West Coast and Fremantle fans will be left in the lurch this season with free-to-air coverage of several away games starting around the time the final siren sounds.

Perth Glory veteran Richard Garcia is adamant the uncertainty surrounding the future of star duo Diego Castro and Rhys Williams won't distract the team from their title quest.

• Brad Hardie

It might be time for ASADA to start drug testing all the people who think the Dockers should trade Nat Fyfe to another club.

• Kim Hagdorn

Fremantle should be headed for some in-season retirements if coach Ross Lyon is to truly launch his declared four-year revitalisation of an ailing playing list.