The western derby has erupted as passions spilled over with pile-ons aplenty — and it was West Coast young gun Harley Reid at the centre of it.

A chippy derby eventually turned into fight night late in the third quarter as Fremantle got under the skin of Reid, before tempers flared.

Reid had been at the centre of attention for most of the game, the midfielder booed by the vocal Dockers crowd while several Fremantle players were eager to get under his skin.

But while the precocious youngster rose to the occassion at times, his mistakes began to cost his team.

Reid gave away a free-kick for needlessly wrestling Sam Switkowski down off the ball inside 50.

Tom Cole was first in as he tangled with Switkowksi, and soon enough, three spot-fires rose up around them.

Nearly every player on the ground descended upon Fremantle’s forward 50, with several players ending up on the ground as their teammates rushed to their aid.

While it may not have been the Demolition Derby of 2000, it was a welcome addition to the library of derby skirmishes.