Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle gave notice that they will be a force to be reckoned with in 2013 with a strong away win against the improved Western Bulldogs on Saturday. The win gave the Dockers a 2-0 start to the season, along with six other sides.

With both sides coming off convincing round one wins, an early break would likely be a key to the side who could obtain it, and so it proved to be as Fremantle jumped the Bulldogs with ferocious attacks on the ball, and manic defending all over the ground. The Dogs, who had faced nothing like such opposition the previous week against Brisbane, were found unprepared, and Fremantle kicked the first five goals of the match to establish a match-winning 31-point lead at the first change.

From that point on, the Western Bulldogs gradually worked their way into the match, absorbing the Dockers' strangulation tactics and employing some good counter-attacks. At various stages in the second quarter, the Dogs more than matched the stronger, more mature Dockers but they were unable to sustain this for long enough stages to bridge the gap at any stage.

The final margin of 28 points represented a solid win for the Dockers, who have now won their last four matches at the venue. But it also indicated a new-found maturity and fight in the Bulldogs who, faced with similar quarter-time deficits in 2012, were more often than not blown away by big margins.

Fyfe and Crowley were excellent for Fremantle, while Bulldog veteran showed no signs of trouble with his chronic knee and was one if his side's best, along with Will Minson, who dominated the ruck duels.

The Dogs will face unbeaten Richmond in round three, while the Dockers will return home to face top side Essendon on Friday night.

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus 3; Cross, Murphy 2; Cooney, Smith, Lower, Cordy
Fremantle: Walters 3; Bradley, Pavlich, Crozier 2; Fyfe, Mayne, Barlow, Mzungu, Hill, Sutcliffe, de Boer

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Liberatore, Cooney, Lower, Dahlhaus, Minson
Fremantle: Fyfe, Crowley, Walters, McPharlin, Barlow, Mayne

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Liberatore, Cooney, Minson, Smith, Lower, Cross
Fremantle: Crowley, Fyfe, Mzungu, Griffin, Walters, Pavlich, Barlow

COACHES' COMMENTS
Brendan McCartney (WB): It was nothing structural or tactical [that led to the loss] it was bigger bodies around the ball, willing the ball forward. In the first quarter we had a little bit of a problem keeping the ball in our forward line and when it exited, they hurt us.

Ross Lyon (Frem): We came here to get the four points. Good teams win and we've done that. We started really well. [Against] West Coast we didn't start well, so that was a focus and the players delivered on that.

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Fremantle: Pearce (calf)

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Mitch Wallis replaced by Koby Stevens in the third quarter
Fremantle: Clancee Pearce replaced by Cameron Sutcliffe at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: Ray Chamberlain, Jason Armstrong, Andrew Mitchell