Publicly they’re unfussed, but the AFL’s two WA sides must overcome significant scheduling handicaps if they are to make the grand final.
West Coast and Fremantle were outstanding this weekend, flexing their muscles with impressive elimination final wins.
The Eagles now are up against successive six-day breaks, plus two interstate trips, to win through to the last day in September.
Fremantle’s draw is a little kinder, but they are also on the road for the rest of their finals series.
While the Dockers also have a six-day break before Friday night’s semi-final against Adelaide, the same applies for the Crows.
Should they win that match, Fremantle would have eight days off before the Saturday night preliminary final against minor premiers Hawthorn at the MCG.
The Dockers’ mantra throughout this season under new coach Ross Lyon has been “anyone, anywhere, anytime” – a philosophy he also drilled into his players at St Kilda.
The Eagles will meet Collingwood next Saturday night at the MCG in their semi-final and the winner goes to ANZ Stadium the following Friday night to play Sydney.
The Magpies will have a longer break of eight days, plus West Coast played in warm conditions on Sunday at Patersons Stadium.
But soon after his team blitzed North Melbourne by 96 points, Eagles coach John Worsfold said the circumstances did not bother him.
He noted West Coast had a longer break between round 23 and the elimination final.
“The nine days really helped freshen us up,” he said.
“We’ve got a little bit in the tank from the last nine days – we didn’t use all nine days up, we used eight.
“So it’s really a seven-day break (to the semi-final).”
Worsfold added he had not thought past next weekend’s schedule.
The AFL could only hold the Sydney preliminary final on the Friday night because of ground availability, the same reason they had to hold West Coast’s elimination final on Sunday.
West Coast and Fremantle set up their wins with overpowering first quarters.
The Eagles kicked 7.4 to 0.3 on the way to their 24.18 (162) to 9.12 (66) win over the Kangaroos.
It is the third time in the last four seasons that the eighth-placed team has suffered a heavy loss in their elimination final.
The downside for the Eagles was a serious foot injury to Beau Waters, plus forward Quinten Lynch will face video scrutiny for his heavy spoil on Scott McMahon.
On Saturday night, the Dockers opened the game with 5.7 to 0.1 and beat reigning premiers Geelong by 16 points at the MCG.
Dockers captain Matthew Pavlich starred with six goals in the 14.12 (96) to 11.14 (80) win.
Earlier on Saturday, Sydney co-captain Adam Goodes was supreme at AAMI Stadium as the Swans induced a monumental Adelaide choke.
The 11.5 (71) to 5.12 (42) qualifying final win was eerily similar to the same game at the same venue against Port Adelaide nine years ago, where Goodes also starred in another upset result.
On Friday night, the Hawks opened the finals series with a rugged 38-point win over Collingwood at the MCG.
Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell is already on report and Hawks ruck-forward Jarryd Roughead will also face video scrutiny after Hawthorn pulled away in the second half to win 20.15 (135) to 15.7 (97).