Sunday is the 41st edition of the clash between West Coast and Fremantle, with the record showing the Eagles have won 21 the Dockers 19.

But do Eagles supporters still keep count and care more about a win over Fremantle than claiming victory over Hawthorn, Sydney, or Essendon?

Is Fremantle's victory over Geelong away from home last week more significant to Dockers supporters than getting another one up – which would be six in a row – against the Eagles on Sunday?

And with two non-West Australians taking up the respective coaching roles – and both sides being captained by South Australians (Shannon Hurn and Matt Pavlich) - do the players, many of whom were born east of the WA border, really care that they are playing their cross-town rivals?

Sides in Victoria are playing against teams from their own state every other week; and not everyone in Perth bleeds blood in the colour of the two local AFL teams.

There is AFL rivalry round, but have both WA sides moved on to more heated clashes with other opposition sides?

Three of the past four derbies have attracted crowds of less than 40,000 to a venue that holds 43,500. The past two have just scraped in over 40,000. But you have to go back to 2008 to see a crowd of more than 42,000 fans.

Here what the Eagles' Adam Simpson said about derbies, after being introduced to the concept for the first time last year:

"I didn't like it, we didn't win," he said.

"We have got these guys twice a year – just like every game we strive for the four points. It's an exciting game for the town, for the city, for the state and we're looking forward to the challenge.

"We don't change anything."

And what about Ross Lyon, who has won five of six Western Derbies that he has coached in?

"I don't see them too different to any other game, bar the rivalry and there's some prestige of winning against your home town rival," he said.

"At the end of the day, it's four points on the line. If I'm preparing more for this week then last week, well I'm negligent in the way I go about it. To be truthful, how we would prepare for grand final week is how we would prepare for round one, round two and round three.

"So there's no difference for us, except there's increased focus and scrutiny. You have to perform every week, and that's the attitude we take. We're all chasing the four points."

The coaches used to at least claim that they thought there was a lift in tempo when the two teams met. But is it possible to see a greater intensity than what footy fans in Perth saw in  round one when the Dockers hosted Port?

The fanfare around the Western Derby used to be huge. The press conference used to be held in a café at breakfast time and be filled by fans dressed in either purple, or blue and yellow.

Maybe, since both sides have gone on to play in grand finals, the clubs and public have realised that the derby falls well short of significance of the last Saturday in September.

This week, the two coaches sat side by side in front of the media, with their Carlton Draught hats on and stubbies pride of place on the table in front of them.

If it weren't for a sponsor commitment, would we even see the two coaches together at the same time?
  
What the derby does provide is an opportunity for WA's two teams to play consecutive games on their home ground.

West Coast hosted Carlton last week and Fremantle will welcome Sydney to Domain Stadium in round four.

It's a welcome relief for sides that usually have to travel every second weekend.

Yeah, it's a good point; it's a luxury and we'll take it," Lyon said.

"The big picture, if you take a step back and look, it's great to not have to jump on the bird, there is no doubt about that. But we acknowledge there is a challenge in coming over to play us and there is challenges going away – anytime you can get two in a row at home – it's fantastic.

"For us, it will be a little bit different this week. You usually rock up to Domain and its full of your supporters, but it's going to be full of the other mob."

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