Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle has easily accounted for an undermanned Essendon on a hot afternoon at Subiaco. The Bombers lost Paul Chapman, Dustin Fletcher and David Myers to injury and illness before the match and their problems were compounded when Brendon Goddard appeared to strain a groin in the pre-match warm up. Goddard took his place on the field but lasted until only eight minutes into the second term before he was subbed out, replaced by Leroy Jetta.

Despite the setbacks, the Dons managed to stay with Fremantle in the first term. In a low-scoring quarter, each side kicked two goals - Ryan Crowley and Danyle Pearce for Fremantle and Jobe Watson and Joe Daniher for Essendon - an scores were level at the first break.

Essendon continued to match the Dockers early in the second quarter, even hitting the front at the five and 11 minute marks but goals in time-on to Nick Suban and Matthew Pavlich saw the Dockers in front by 13 points at the long break.

The heat and lack of personnel began to take its toll on the Bombers in the third term as Fremantle gradually gained a definitive ascendancy. The Dockers kicked seven goals to one to open up a 48-point gap at the last change of ends. Essendon fought on gallantly in the final term, booting 4.2 while the Dockers added 5.1 but Fremantle finished he match 53 points to the good, a satisfying result for coach Ross Lyon after the Dockers thrashing at the hands of Hawthorn in round three.

Best for the Dockers included Luke McPharlin (13 marks, 31 disposals), Michael Johnson (27 touches, nine marks) and Pavlich (three goals, eight marks), while Dyson Heppell (35 disposals, 10 tackles), Brent Stanton (32 touches and six marks) and Ben Howlett (nine marks, 20 possessions) all tried hard for Essendon.

Fremantle sits comfortably in fifth place on the ladder with a healthy percentage (140.1) and will take on Sydney at the SCG next week. The Dons will be hopeful of regaining its three late withdrawals when it takes on St Kilda at Docklands on Saturday night.

GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich 3; D Pearce, Taberner, Neale, Hill 2; Crowley, Mundy, Suban, Ballantyne, McPharlin, Mzungu, Clarke
Essendon: Hardingham 2, Watson, Daniher, Gleeson, Winderlich, Jetta, Stanton, Melksham

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Fremantle: McPharlin, Johnson, de Boer, Hill, Pavlich, Sandilands
Essendon: Stanton, Heppell, Gleeson, Baguley, Hibberd

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
Fremantle: McPharlin, Sandilands, Johnson, Pearce, Pavlich, Hill
Essendon: Heppell, Stanton, Gleeson, Baguley, Howlett, Watson

COACHES' COMMENTS
Ross Lyon (Frem): I thought it was a really pleasing result. To put it into context, last week [against Hawthorn] was never as bad as everyone wanted to make out and today it's obviously the opposite. It's never as good as it seems. We're certainly not getting carried away with it. Both teams had some personnel challenges coming in. In saying that, our intensity and effort was really good.

Mark Thompson (Ess): I'd love to say [the heat] was the reason why we lost but it's not. There's more than that. It was a factor but how much of a factor, I'm not sure. It was a bit of a shock walking off the plane, to be honest and feeling the heat, but we still didn't play our best footy. It might have been personnel; it might have been losing Goddard early; it might have been a bit about the weather; it might have been a bit about some blokes being sick during the week; but it's not the end of the world. We look forward to playing St Kilda in six days. We get a few [players] back and it will be great.

INJURIES
Fremantle: Mundy (concussion)
Essendon: Paul Chapman (ankle) replaced in selected side by Leroy Jetta, David Myers (illness) replaced in selected side by Travis Colyer, Dustin Fletcher (soreness) replaced in selected side by Dylan van Unen, Brendon Goddard (groin)

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Josh Simpson replaced David Mundy in the third quarter
Essendon: Leroy Jetta replaced Brendon Goddard in the second quarter

UMPIRES: Margetts, Nicholls, Hosking

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

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