Leading by just 13 points at the main break, the Eagles slammed on eight goals to three in the third quarter to set up the impressive 20.16 (136) to 14.6 (90) win, extending West Coast's win-loss record over Richmond to 10-1 at Subiaco Oval.
The Eagles remain unbeaten after three rounds while the Tigers are yet to taste victory in season 2006.
To add salt to the wound, Thomas Roach copped a heavy knock in the first-half and was sent to hospital for scans on a suspected broken jaw.
Earlier in the day, Hawthorn showed upsets were not only possible, but could be done comprehensively when they belted the highly-fancied Geelong by 52-points at Skilled Stadium, but after half-time the Tigers never looked likely to cause a similar boilover.
David Wirrpanda - playing his 150th match for the Eagles in a career that began more than a decade ago - was terrific in defence, while Tyson Stenglein did a great job blanketing exciting forward Nathan Brown.
Big Dean Cox continued his stellar form in the ruck, with 20 hitouts, 13 kicks, 13 marks and two goals.
Chad Fletcher (34 possessions), Rowan Jones (27), Mark Nicoski (26), and Quinten Lynch (23) were prolific ball winners, while Andrew Embley and Ashley Sampi provided strong targets up forward and finished with three goals each.
Richmond's Shane Tuck was his side's highest ball-winner with 28 disposals, while Patrick Bowden (20 touches), Kane Johnson (18) and Joel Bowden (20) also were prominent.
Matthew Richardson finished with four goals in a heartening performance, but lacked support when it counted and was well-held most of the night by Darren Glass before the Eagles defender was rested midway through the final term.
After showing plenty of grit and determination in their 11-point loss to the Saints last week, the Tigers entered the match fired-up, and opened their goal account after just 80 seconds through spearhead Richardson.
The Eagles seemed surprised at the ferocious pace of the game and the Tigers took full advantage, entering the first break with a slender five-point lead, with Richardson booting two goals for the term.
The Tigers began the second with two of the opening three goals, but as the quarter wore on the Eagles' midfield began to assert their dominance, though to little immediate effect as West Coast posted four-straight behinds.
It was left to the maestro - Chris Judd - to break the shackles, swooping on a loose ball inside 50 and kicking truly to tie up the scores 18 minutes into the second period.
The goal seemed to lift the Eagles, as they slammed on another two to go into the main break with a 13-point lead.
The Eagles broke the game wide open in the third term, slamming on eight goals to Richmond's three to enter the final term with a 44-point lead.
From their 15 inside 50's for the term, the Eagles recorded 11 scoring shots as their highly-criticised forward line combined well with the midfield to create several great opportunities that were duly converted.
Ashley Sampi was a livewire in the forward line and kicked three for the term, as the Eagles midfield began to break free and run their opponents into the ground.
Richardson, Shane Tuck and Brown recorded majors but were unable to create enough pressure in their forward line.
A goal to Cox early in the final quarter put the result beyond doubt, with the term becoming a scrap as both sides made simple skill errors.
The Tigers now have the unenviable task of traveling to the Gabba to take on the wounded Lions next week, while West Coast will head to the nation's capital to tackle the Kangaroos at Manuka Oval on Sunday.
After the match, Eagles coach John Worsfold said he was impressed with the way his players carried out their tasks, especially in the first half when the game was on the line.
"They were really focused on sticking to what we'd asked them to do," Worsfold said.
"They had specific roles and I thought it was a credit to them the way they didn't get panicky. They just believed in what they were trying to achieve and that it would come."
"It was a pretty intense game … but I thought the players coped really well and maintained the intensity throughout the whole game."
Richmond coach Terry Wallace admitted there was quite a difference between his side and last year's runners-up.
"When you have a look at the two sides, they (West Coast) are just further advanced than us and I think that's exactly where it is at this stage," he said.
"I thought we worked reasonably hard and (in the match-ups) most of the blokes stuck to their guns there and did reasonable jobs in those sorts of areas.
"Just our inability to be able to hit targets was an issue to me."
WEST COAST: 3.3, 7.10, 15.13, 20.16 (136)
RICHMOND: 4.2, 6.3, 9.5, 14.6 (90)
GOALS – West Coast: A Sampi 3, A Embley 3, A Hunter 2, D Cox 2, Q Lynch 2, J Graham, M Nicoski, B Waters, C Judd, M Seaby, D Wirrpanda, M Braun, R Jones
Richmond: M Richardson 4, S Tuck 2, P Bowden 2, C Hyde, R Tambling, D Jackson, N Brown, K Pettifer, G Tivendale
BEST – West Coast: C Fletcher, D Cox, M Nicoski, A Sampi, T Stenglein, A Hunter
Richmond: S Tuck, M Richardson, P Bowden, K Johnson, K Pettifer, C Hyde
INJURIES – West Coast: Nil
Richmond: T Roach (suspected broken jaw), D Gaspar (hamstring)
CHANGES – Nil
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - C Donlon, D Margetts, S Ryan
CROWD - 39,436 at Subiaco Oval, Perth
