Fremantle Dockers

The Fremantle Dockers have won their third game of the season, after beating the GWS Giants by 34 points in a tight contest. Both…

GWS are looking to improve on their 2021, but have started off with a 1-3 performance. But the slowly improving side has started the year 3-1, and sit third on the ladder with three games still yet to be played this round. The Dockers’ poor accuracy meant that Jesse Hogan and Harry Himmelberg kept the home side in it, kicking two goals apiece.

Fremantle have booted six unanswered goals in the final term and came out on top 42-16 in the free kick count to post a 34-point win over GWS.

Fremantle’s inaccuracy proved costly early, but O’Driscoll provided a special moment when he kissed his black armband and pointed to the sky in a tribute to his late grandmother after kicking his first goal of the night. The game appeared headed for an epic finale, but any hopes of a close finish were put to bed as the Dockers rammed through six unanswered goals in a mesmerising blitz. Dockers recruit Will Brodie tallied a career-high 36 disposals to go with his six clearances, while Andrew Brayshaw broke a tight tag from Lachie Ash to finish with 26 possessions and a clutch banana goal when the game was on the line in the last quarter. Preuss had just taken a mark when he swung his bent arm backwards in a bid to get Mundy to release him. Brennan Cox and late inclusion Griffin Logue were rocks in defence, while third-gamer Nathan O’Driscoll booted 2.2 from 20 disposals to show he is a star on the rise. Hogan, playing his first game in Perth since being traded from Fremantle to the Giants at the end of 2020, booted two goals in the first half of Saturday night’s match to keep his side in touch.

A WASTEFUL Fremantle was accurate when it counted to claim its third win of the season, getting past Greater Western Sydney by 34 points in a seesawing game ...

He finished with eight intercepts among his 17 disposals and eight marks for the game, giving Dockers selectors a welcome headache, with Joel Hamling also unable to break into the 22. The No.10 pick from the 2019 draft had an equal game-high six clearances along with five tackles where his work at stoppages was a highlight. The former top-10 NAB AFL Draft pick has had 20-plus disposals in all four of the Dockers' games and was excellent again against GWS, with a game-high 20 contested possessions among his career-best 36 touches. GWS wasn't helped by a lopsided free-kick count that finished 42-16 in the Dockers' favour. The 21-year-old GWS midfielder is enjoying a breakout third season, accumulating 31, 34 and 29 disposals in the Giants' opening three games. Fremantle basically got Brodie from Gold Coast in the off-season for free in light of Adam Cerra's exit and he's proving to be a brilliant pick-up.