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Fremantle and Eagles players often bumped into each other during their stay on the Gold Coast, but any friendly exchanges have now been consigned to the past.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson is adamant his team's rivalry with Fremantle hasn't softened despite their temporary truce during the Gold Coast Hub.

Players, coaches, and staff from both clubs had lots of polite run-ins with each other during their month-long stay at the luxurious Royal Pines Resort.

From generic chit-chats in the lifts to sharing tips about Hub life - the Eagles and Dockers were able to temporarily put aside past hostilities.

But with West Coast and Fremantle to square off at Optus Stadium on Sunday the time for politeness is over - not that they were singing 'Kumbaya' together during their stay on the Gold Coast anyway.

"We did spend a month together, but we didn't hang out too much," Simpson said.

"I know a couple of staff members at Freo, and players know each other quite well.

"But it wasn't like we all sat around the fire pit down the bottom of the hotel and shared stories.

"We were together, but we weren't. The rivalry hasn't changed."

The links between the two clubs also extends to the coaching ranks.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir spent four years under Simpson at West Coast before taking up an assistant's role at Collingwood at the end of 2017.

Simpson, a two-time premiership winner at North Melbourne who served his coaching apprenticeship under Hawthorn's Alastair Clarkson, said he had become accustomed to coming up against friends and former colleagues.

"I'm coaching against premiership teammates and old mentors, so he joins that family I suppose," Simpson said of Longmuir.

"There's healthy respect but healthy rivalry as well. Nothing changes there."

Up to 30,000 fans will attend Sunday's match, and almost all of them will be Fremantle supporters given it's their home game.

That will be a strange scenario for Eagles players, who have become accustomed to having more than 10,000 of their own fans for Fremantle home games when the capacity is at its usual 60,000.

"I dare say there might not be many West Coast supporters at this one," Simpson said.

"So adjusting to not being liked with the Fremantle supporters - I'm sure it will take a little bit of adjustment.

"I don't think it will affect how we play, but I think it adds to the excitement.

"Players have missed playing in front of crowds. It really elevates your anticipation, and the environment at an oval when there's 30,000 is so much different to when it's no one.

"So we'll take any crowds we can get, albeit they'll be booing us this week."