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WA footy fans will get a double dose of derby action next month, with an AFLW tune-up revealed as the curtain-raiser to the Round 22 clash between Fremantle and West Coast.
The Optus Stadium clash on August 13 will be the only formal pre-season fixture for both WA clubs ahead of the re-shuffled AFLW campaign which begins a fortnight later.
The hit-out will begin three hours before the finals-bound Dockers play the struggling Eagles in the final home and away game in Perth this season.
Another match simulation is expected to be arranged for the weekend before.
It has already been a hurried pre-season for the AFLW clubs, with just a five-month turnaround between April’s grand final and the August start date.
The two sides will then meet again on September 22. That game is likely to be played at Optus Stadium, despite the October 1 WAFL grand final being punted from the venue to allow time for drop-in cricket wickets to be installed ahead of an international T20 between Australia and England.
The Eagles begin their AFLW season with a clash against expansion club Port Adelaide at Mineral Resources Park, while Fremantle will make the Round 1 trek to the Gabba to face Brisbane.
The Dockers have won all of the first four AFLW derbies.
It is likely the Round 22 western derby will come as Fremantle continue to scrap to seal a finals double chance.
The Dockers dropped out of the top four for the first time since April on Sunday after Collingwood pinched a dramatic win over Essendon and their hopes could lean on the clash with the Eagles, who could also be bidding an Optus Stadium farewell to a number of departing stars in their last home game of the year.
The two games will be ticketed as a single event.
