Australian Football

Match Report

In an enthralling contest at Subiaco on Friday night, the Fremantle Dockers have pipped Collingwood by just seven points. The Magpies lost no friends with their gallant effort and, although the loss cost them fourth place on the ladder, they deservedly remain in contention for a top-four place. They were in front as late as 14 minutes into the last quarter, with two late goals to the Dockers snuffing out a brave effort. The win sees the Dockers two games clear at the top of the ladder after the Swans unexpectedly lost to Richmond on Friday night. 

Fremantle got off to a lightning-fast start, with a goal to Michael Walters after just 29 seconds. But the scoring dried up for the Dockers after that, as the Pies settled into a period of relative dominance over the next 20 minutes, which yielded a total of 3.4 - goals coming to Tim Broomhead, Taylor Adams and Scott Pendlebury - while Fremantle failed to score. The Dockers wrested some control back late in the term, and majors to Stephen Hill and Nat Fyfe saw them trail by just two points at quarter time. 

The second quarter was a relatively high-scoring affair - certainly by Fremantle's usually miserly standards - with each side kicking four goals. Majors to Alex Fasolo and Jamie Elliott put the Pies 13 points clear at the 10-minute mark, but the Dockers scored the next three through Clancee Pearce, Hill and Fyfe to take a five-point lead a minute into time-on. The momentum swung back Collingwood's way soon after, and goals to Jordan de Goey and Fasolo saw the Pies back in front by eight before Walters closed the gap to two with the last goal of the first half. 

Goals were much harder to come by in the third quarter. After a couple of Michael Pavlich behinds levelled the scores at the 11-minute mark, Jack Crisp put the Magpies ahead with a goal at the 18-minute mark. Hayden Ballantyne responded with a major two minutes later but Jarryd Blair put Collingwood back in front with his first at the 24-minute mark. As he done in the second quarter, Walters closed out the third term with a goal and scores were locked together at 9.6.60 apiece at the last change. 

Lachie Neale gave the Dockers the lead with the first major of the last quarter, but the Magpies refused to succumb to the sustained Fremantle pressure, and goals to Elliott and Paul Seedsman saw Collingwood five points ahead after 13 minutes. Michael Barlow put the Dockers back in front by a point at the 15-minute mark and Walters extended the margin to eight with his fourth at the 20-minute mark. The Pies battled on, and Jesse White has a chance to cut the margin to less than a goal at the 27-minute mark, but his set shot sailed wide. That was to be the last scoring shot of the match, and the Dockers held on to win by seven points. 

Fyfe was once again outstanding for the winners, with 32 possessions and two goals, while Lachie Neale (34 touches and five marks) and Hill (24 disposals and two goals) also played vital roles in the win. For the Magpies, Pendlebury (25 disposals, five tackles), Dane Swan (26 possessions, seven tackles) and Travis Varcoe (15 touches, eight tackles) all played fine games.

The league-leading Dockers will host 17th-placed Brisbane at Subiaco next Sunday afternoon, while Collingwood (fifth, with an 8-4 record) will meet the team that replaced them in fourth spot - Hawthorn - on Saturday night at the MCG. 

GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 4; Fyfe, Hill 2; Ballantyne, Barlow, C Pearce, Neale
Collingwood: Elliott, Fasolo 2; Broomhead, Pendlebury, Adams, de Goey, Crisp, Blair, Seedsman

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
Fremantle: Fyfe, Neale, Hill, Ibbotson, Walters, Barlow
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Swan, Adams, Fasolo, Varcoe, Brown

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Fremantle: Fyfe, Neale, Hill, Ibbotson, Sandilands, Walters, Mundy
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Varcoe, Swan, Sidebottom, Brown, Adams, Cloke

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Nick Suban replaced Hayden Crozier in the third quarter.
Collingwood: Paul Seedsman replaced Adam Oxley at three-quarter time.

UMPIRES: Dalgleish, Stevic, McInerney

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Dennis Cometti, Basil Zempilas, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson