Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle has defeated Port Adelaide in Subiaco on Saturday, albeit just, to secure a place in the top four and a double-chance for the second year in a row. It was always going to be a big ask for the Power to defeat the Dockers on their home turf but Port pushed Fremantle for most of the match, eventually falling just eight points short.

The first quarter could hardly have been more even, reflected on the scoreboard which read 3.3.21 to 3.3.21 when the teams changed ends for the first time. The second term proved to be very similar as first Fremantle and then Port Adelaide took turns at kicking a brace of goals. Port took a narrow lead late in the quarter and when the half-time siren sounded, the Power held sway by the narrowest of margins, 7.6 to 7.5.

It was the Dockers who made the significant move of the match in the third quarter. Port's lead went to six points when Jay Schulz goaled at the four-minute mark, and then out to 12 when Hamish Hartlett kicked another, but when Hayden Ballantyne kicked truly for Fremantle at the 10-minute mark, it sparked a rush of goals in the last 20 minutes of the quarter. Ballantyne added another and Cameron Sutcliffe, Michael Walters and Chris Mayne (two) made it six for the term for the home side, who took a 22-point lead into the last break.

The Dockers also kicked the first three majors of the last quarter, through David Mundy and Ballantyne (two), but the Power to their credit fought the match out, with Jay Schulz and Robbie Gray combining to kick the last five goals of the match and reduce the final margin to just eight.

Best for the winners included Lachie Neale (34 disposals and seven marks) and Michael Walters (three goals), while Port was well served by Gray (33 possessions and two goals) and Schulz (six goals, eight marks). 

Fremantle will travel to Sydney next Saturday afternoon to take on the top-placed Swans at Stadium Australia. The winner of that match will get a week off while the loser will get a second chance in week two of the finals. Port, meanwhile, will get just the one chance. The Power will host Richmond at the Adelaide Oval next Sunday, with the loser of that match eliminated from the 2014 premiership race.

GOALS
Fremantle: Ballantyne 4; Walters 3; Taberner, Mayne, Pavlich 2; Mzungu, Mundy, Sutcliffe
Port Adelaide: Schulz 6; Gray, Hartlett, Wingard 2; White, Westhoff

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Fremantle: Neale, Ibbotson, Pavlich, Barlow, Sandilands, Ballantyne, Walters
Port Adelaide: Schulz, Gray, Ebert, Cornes, Wingard, Hartlett

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Fremantle: Neale, Walters, Ballantyne, Mzungu, Taberner, Barlow
Port Adelaide: Gray, Schulz, Wingard, Hartlett, Boak, Ebert

INJURIES
Fremantle: Alex Silvagni replaced in selected side by Garrick Ibbotson
Port Adelaide: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Hayden Crozier replaced Nick Suban in the third quarter
Port Adelaide: Angus Monfries replaced Matt White at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: Margetts, Nicholls, Meredith

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Dermott Brereton, Mark Ricciuto, Cameron Mooney