Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle has prevailed over Adelaide in a typically defensive encounter at Subiaco on Saturday night. In doing so the Dockers set an unusual record, perhaps one they would not particularly have sought to attain: their total of 33 entries inside 50 was the equal-lowest for a winning team since such records have been kept.

The match was a largely even affair across three of the four quarters. It was only in the second quarter that the Dockers gained any real ascendency, kicking 3.3 to the Crows' two behinds to set up a 23-point half time lead. The final margin was 22 points.

Best for the Dockers were Nat Fyfe (4.2 and 29 disposals), Stephen Hill (27 possessions and a goal) and Michael Barlow (26 disposals), while Adelaide was well served by Rory Sloane (30 disposals), Brad Crouch (28 possessions) and Ricky Henderson (23 touches and a goal).

There was some byplay between the coaches in the after-match press conferences, with Adelaide's Brenton Sanderson suggesting that no team that has 33 inside 50 entries deserves to win. The Dockers' Ross Lyon flatly refuted this suggestion in his own press conference, suggesting his team had counter-attacked far better than Adelaide.

Fremantle's win means it retains some hope of a double-chance come September. The Dockers are half a game behind fourth-placed Essendon, and take on Carlton at Docklands stadium next Saturday. For Adelaide, the loss condemns it to 12th place on the ladder, three games behind cross-town rivals Port Adelaide, who are in eighth place. The two sides meet in the Showdown next Sunday and, needless to say, the Crows must win to retain any remote chance of being part of September action.

GOALS
Fremantle: Fyfe 4; Walters, Mayne 2; de Boer, Clarke, Hill
Adelaide: Lynch 2; Vince, Thompson, Henderson, McKernan, Lyons

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Fremantle: Fyfe, Johnson, Hill, Barlow, Neale, Walters, Clarke
Adelaide: Sloane, Crouch, Thompson, Lynch, Henderson, Vince

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
Fremantle: Fyfe, Hill, Barlow, Crowley, Neale, Pearce
Adelaide: Sloane, Vince, Crouch, Henderson, McKay, van Berlo

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Adelaide: Jenkins (leg), Vince (head) , McKernan (leg)

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Cameron Sutcliffe replaced Matt Taberner in the third quarter.
Adelaide: Richard Tambling replaced Shaun McKernan in the third quarter.

UMPIRES: Donlon, Dalgleish, Kamolins

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Matthew Campbell, Jason Dunstall, Mark Ricciuto, Leigh Colbert