AFLW: Fremantle Dockers drop out of top eight after fighting loss against North Melbourne

Fremantle have dropped out of the AFLW top eight with only three games remaining after a tough effort against reigning premiers North Melbourne wasn’t enough to produce a victory.

The Dockers lost 9.4 (58) to 4.6 (30) despite being in the contest for most of the day. It was a vastly improved effort from their 100 point thrashing against the Roos last year but North Melbourne made them pay for every mistake.

Ash Riddell dominated for the Roos with 38 disposals while Jasmine Garner and Eilish Sheerin were also prominent.

A howling wind made conditions difficult for both teams. The Kangaroos kicked with the benefit of it in the first quarter and happily bombed the ball forward to allow that breeze to do its work. They kicked three goals in the first nine minutes and the Dockers hadn’t even looked like scoring at that point.

Fremantle pushed numbers into defence to halt North Melbourne’s momentum and then chipped the ball around to maintain possession. They had 25 marks in the first quarter compared to North Melbourne’s nine.

Then, once they got the ball deep enough into their forward line, they were able to re-set their positions and that led to Hayley Miller booting their first goal late in the quarter.

Fremantle had their chance to kick with the wind in the second term but didn’t use the same approach as the Roos. Instead of getting the ball forward at all cost, the Dockers controlled possession with short passes, run and handballing, then applied immense pressure whenever it hit the ground.

That worked, with two early goals giving them the lead. The wind was so strong that North Melbourne’s Erika O’Shea twice watched her kicks get blown backwards and end up closer to Fremantle’s goal that when she disposed of it.

But when you’re playing against the best team in the competition, you can’t afford to make mistakes and North Melbourne capitalised when chances opened up.

A Fremantle short pass to Aisling McCarthy was deemed to not have travelled far enough and that turnover resulted in a goal to Blaithin Bogue. That hurt.

Then when Kiara Bowers dived forward to attempt a smother when standing on the mark, she gave away a 50m penalty for not remaining still. Riddell nailed that chance and the Roos were 10 points in front again.

The Dockers focused heavily on defending in the third quarter so they could attack with the breeze in the final term. They had only four inside-50s for the quarter and didn’t score. The Roos had 13 forward entries, but Fremantle defended strongly with extra numbers behind the ball and frustrated the home team.

North kicked the first goal after finding space but that looked certain to be their only major until the Dockers made a late mistake. Having done a great job of taking time off the clock, Fremantle could have forced a stoppage at half-forward but elected to keep the ball alive and dragged it out of a pack.

They paid a high price as the Roos broke free, took the ball the length of the ground for a goal. Now the reigning champs led by 24 points and Fremantle had only scored 22 points for the day.

North Melbourne only had to defend during the final quarter and that’s what they did. Fremantle kicked their only goal thorugh Bella Smith midway through the term and then north subbed salt into the wound with two goals in the last two minutes.

Fremantle lost their spot in the eight after Hawthorn’s win over Brisbane later on Sunday.

NTH MELBOURNE 3.1 5.2 7.4 9.4 (58)

FREMANTLE 1.2 3.4 3.4 4.6 (30)

GOALS - NTH MELBOURNE: K Shierlaw, E Sheerin, A Riddell, T Randall, J Garner, B Eddey, J Bruton, B Bogue. FREMANTLE: E Zanker, B Smith, G O’Sullivan, H Miller.

BEST - NTH MELBOURNE: A Riddell, J Garner, E Sheerin, E O’Shea, L Birch, A O’Loughlin. FREMANTLE: K Bowers, A McCarthy, G Newton, G O’Sullivan, L Johnson.