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Inaccurate Fremantle Dockers show guts in holding off Hawthorn with 15-point win

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Chris RobinsonThe West Australian
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Travis Colyer celebrates a goal.
Camera IconTravis Colyer celebrates a goal. Credit: Will Russell/AFL Photos

Bad kicking is bad football.

Fremantle learnt that lesson the hard way in the biggest game in their history in the 2013 grand final, and for a considerable period against the same opponent on Sunday, it appeared it would prove costly once again.

But these rising Dockers are made of stern stuff. Instead of wilting as Hawthorn cashed in on their inaccuracy to make several runs, and amid another physical blanket job on midfield leader Andy Brayshaw, Freo did what finals-contending teams do and simply found a way.

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Their 13.18 (96) to 12.9 (81) victory came courtesy of two of the club’s biggest spiritual figures and one of their biggest physical figures.

The Game AFL 2024

Nat Fyfe (31 disposals, six clearances) was the biggest scoreboard culprit with a return of 0.6 but was otherwise typically brilliant, while David Mundy (25 disposals, seven clearances) again defied his age.

And Sean Darcy produced arguably his best AFL game to date with an imposing performance all around the ground.

Assuming the No.1 ruck mantle back from Lloyd Meek, Darcy produced some impressive hitouts to advantage before pushing forward to emerge as a constant marking threat and boot three goals.

Brayshaw copped an early heavy tag from James Worpel, with Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson no doubt remembering the Docker’s best-on-ground effort from last year’s corresponding fixture and Carlton’s successful effort in limiting his influence last week.

Brayshaw mustered just three touches in the first half, but early on, it mattered little as the rest of Fremantle’s midfield picked up the slack.

The Dockers picked up where they left off against GWS in their most recent home clash a fortnight ago, dominating the skies up forward but failing to punish their opponents with sloppy conversion.

A whopping 11 marks inside 50 summed up the flood of forward play and ease of opportunity, thanks to some incisive score assists from the likes of Mundy and Caleb Serong.

But the radar was off, with set-shot misses from Fyfe, Michael Walters and Matt Taberner failing to transform the handy lead into a match-winning one.

Taberner would redeem himself with a pair of majors as the Dockers held the Hawks – for so long their bogey side – to a goalless first term for the first time in their 38 meetings.

But as Freo sprayed their way to a return of 6.11 in the first half, Hawthorn found a toehold and steadily went about chipping away at the margin.

Sean Darcy came up big for the Dockers.
Camera IconSean Darcy came up big for the Dockers. Credit: Will Russell/AFL Photos

Tom Mitchell came to life with a monster second term, kicking a goal and racking up 18 of his 37 disposals in a masterclass.

Justin Longmuir swung a change to send Brayshaw to check Mitchell after half-time and it paid dividends, though the frustrated Docker coughed up a soft goal by scragging his opponent off the ball.

Travis Colyer emerged as an unlikely late factor, using his pace to boot a pair of goals and help set up another for fellow speedster Michael Frederick on a thrilling fast break to claim back the momentum.

Darcy then stood tall with two contested grabs and put the goalkicking jitters to bed with two conversions to straighten the Dockers up – and square their season ledger at 2-2.

TALL TIMBER

Plenty of pre-game intrigue centred on Fremantle’s make-up of big men, with question marks over how effective Darcy, Meek, Taberner and debutant Josh Treacy would all be in the same line-up with inclement weather forecast.

But despite plenty of morning rain, the skies cleared in time for the opening bounce to ease any concerns about the Dockers being too tall in the wet.

Treacy failed to find the major opening but showed good pressure around the ball, including a crowd-pleasing bump on Sam Frost to bullock him out of bounds.

LET’S GET PHYSICAL

Fremantle were tested in a bruising second term, but showed they were prepared to put their bodies on the line.

James Aish courageously got straight up after being crunched by Blake Hardwick mid-flight, Darcy nursed a sore right shoulder when sliding in for a contested ball, and Serong was bandaged up after hitting his face on Jaeger O’Meara’s head.

Luke Ryan then continued the theme moments into the second half, coming off groggy after a gutsy marking contest effort deep in defence.

Reece Conca also threw his weight about in a superb shut-down job of star Hawks forward Luke Breust.

HAWK’S HOMECOMING

Tyler Brockman earned his first chance to perform in his home state at AFL level, with the nephew of former Docker Greg Broughton part of a revamped Hawks forward line this year.

The Subiaco product found the going tough early with just two touches for the first half, but almost produced one of the moments of the day with a huge attempted hanger on Ryan’s shoulders.

The 18-year-old produced another ‘almost’ moment when his boundary-line set-shot hit the post in the third term, before kicking truly midway through the final quarter.

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