Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle defeated the Brisbane Lions at Subiaco on Sunday afternoon, to maintain a two-game break at the head of the AFL ladder. The result came as no surprise to anyone but the fact that the Lions were still within three points of the Dockers at the last change would have come as a surprise to most. But Fremantle did what a good side does, breaking away from the tenacious Brisbane to win by 36 points with a strong seven-goal-to-one final quarter.

Conditions were wet when the match got underway as rain swept the oval. Things went to script in the first few minutes, with Michael Walters and Matthew Pavlich goaling to give the Dockers a 12-point lead after seven minutes. But the Lions hit back and majors to Rohan Bewick and Matthew Leuenberger saw them take the lead at the 17-minute mark. Each side added another goal before the siren sounded and it was Brisbane by two points at quarter time.

The rain ensured the game remained a dour affair in the second quarter. Only three scoring shots were to be had in the first half of the term, with goals to Danyle Pearce and Zac Clarke giving the Dockers an 11-point break. But Brisbane kept presenting and the Lions persistence paid dividends when Mitch Robinson goaled on the cusp of time on and Leuenberger followed up with his second just before the half-time siren to square the match at the long break. 

With the weather still bleak, Brisbane set up the possibility of one of the biggest upsets of the season with the first goal of the second half through Daniel McStay at the seven-minute mark of the third term. The Lions held on to that one goal lead for the next 10 minutes until Michael Barlow kicked his first to level the scores. The Dockers gradually got on top after that, but their efforts yielded only three behinds over the next 14 minutes, and their lead was a slender three points at the last change. 

Brisbane players would have gone into the final term believing they were a big chance to win, but their hopes were quickly dashed. Goals to Pavlich and Danyle Pearce took the Dockers' lead out to 15 points inside the first two minutes and, when Walters added another three minutes later, the Lions' resistance was broken. Fremantle closed out the match with four of he last five goals, and ultimately cruised to a comfortable win.

Nat Fyfe played yet another fine game for the home side, with 27 touches and five tackles, while Walters (four goals, seven tackles) and David Mundy (30 possessions, eight tackles) also very good. For the Lions, Dayne Beams (11 tackles, 30 touches), Leuenberger (51 hitouts, nine tackles) and Jack Redden (13 tackles, 20 possessions) were standouts.

With a 12-1 record, the Dockers will face one of their toughest challenges next weekend, playing Hawthorn at York Park on Sunday. Brisbane has slipped to the bottom of the ladder, and will have a tough challenge of its own on the same day when it hosts Sydney at the Gabba.

GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 4; Pavlich 3; D.Pearce 2; Barlow, Clarke, Ballantyne, Neale
Brisbane: Leuenberger 2; Green, Robinson, Bewick, McStay, Taylor

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
Fremantle: Fyfe, Mundy, Walters, Ibbotson, Spurr, Mayne
Brisbane: D Beams, Zorko, Redden, Rich, Robinson, Leuenberger.

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Fremantle: Walters, Fyfe, Pavlich, Mundy, Spurr, Neale
Brisbane: Leuenberger, Beams, Redden, Green Rich

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Brisbane: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Matt de Boer replaced Matt Taberner in the third quarter
Brisbane: Sam Mayes replaced Brent Staker in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Farmer, Bannister, Dalgleish

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Gerard Healy, Brad Johnson, Cameron Mooney