Fremantle cruised to a ninth consecutive victory with a prodigious first half paving their way against Essendon at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
Wet conditions made for a scrappy affair at times, but the Dockers were a class above as they flexed their way to a 16.8 (104) to 8.13 (61) win.
The purple haze shot out of the blocks in this one, putting three goals on the board before the Bombers had time to blink.
Shai Bolton was influential on the day and got the party started with a major in the first 30 seconds, sparking a run that had the visitors out to a 25-point buffer at quarter time.
His heroics through the middle of the ground made up for the absence of Hayden Young, and alongside Caleb Serong and Murphy Reid the trio was able to provide their forwards with silver service in the face of very little resistance from the Bombers.
Dining out on said silver service, it was Patrick Voss who stole the show and all but put the game to bed himself in the second term.
The former Essendon player was keen to remind his old side of what they’re missing out on, booting four of his five goals in the quarter.
Impressively, they came in a variety of ways, including from a chasedown tackle on young Jacob Farrow and a smother deep in attack that allowed him to follow up his own work.
By half time Fremantle held a 52-point lead, the Bombers had just one goal on the board, and the game was done.
To their credit, Essendon didn’t lie down and mustered enough to outscore their guests after the long break.
The Bombers won centre clearances 15-11 on the day, and it was their dominance in this facet of the game in the second half that allowed them to get back in it with efforts from Darcy Parish, Sam Durham and Sullivan Robey giving the fans something to sink their teeth into.
Still, you have to wonder how much of that was Fremantle taking their foot off the pedal and going into cruise control.
In the end, it remained a dour day for Essendon, and the Dockers picked up a club record ninth win on the trot.
Shall we get into some of the talking points?
Pat Voss loves the MCG
Simply have to start here, with the big unit metaphorically smacking the Bombers defenders between the eyes in the second term and ending the day with five majors to his name.
This follows on from his previous outing at the MCG where he bagged six in a thrilling win against Collingwood last season.
You know who averages more goals at the MCG than Pat Voss? Nobody, that’s who. I’m obviously being a little facetious with a cherry-picked stat there, but it’s clear he very much enjoys the famous venue.
More importantly, Voss is a confidence player, and today should give him plenty to go forward with.
His form had been up and down this year, and while he’s still doing his job applying pressure in the forward half, he needed to see some go through the big sticks.
He had eight goals to his name heading into this clash, and now he has 13.
His form came in patches last season, too, with a massive second half of the year. Let’s see if he can keep it going from here.
Freo defence proves too much for Essendon attack
Their midfield had decent numbers and their forwards dined out, but Fremantle’s defence was the rock for them in this game, as it often is.
Even without skipper Alex Pearce marshalling the troops, the Dockers backs performed like a well-oiled machine to snuff out Essendon’s few forays forward.
Brennan Cox did the job on Nate Caddy, and Heath Chapman was heavily involved across the four quarters.
The specific player I want to shout out here, though, is Karl Worner.
This bloke’s development has been nothing short of spectacular. Taken with pick eight in the 2021 Rookie Draft, he had to bide his time working on his craft in the WAFL for a few seasons, but nowadays his magnet never leaves the whiteboard.
He tallied 27 disposals and five marks in this game, and most importantly his composure made him look a cut above some of his fellow defenders.
On a day where Luke Ryan made a couple mistakes and Judd McVee kicked the ball like an Auskick kid, Worner was steady, stable and reliable.
He’s a ripping story given where he’s come from, and the 23-year-old has plenty of footy ahead of him.
Bombers youngsters provide a bright spot
There wasn’t a great deal for fans of the sash to cheer about in this one, but Sullivan Robey sure is something.
I’ve been a big fan of his first handful of games at the top level, but this was his best yet as he finished the day with 22 disposals, two goals, and five clearances to his name.
He’s big, he’s powerful, and he’s explosive around the contest. When you watch him, it’s easy to forget he’s a first-year player.
He’s got a knack for hitting the scoreboard, too.
I also liked Jacob Farrow’s game today. In a defence that was largely under siege for most of the contest, Farrow was at least active with 18 disposals and seven marks.
And, outside of being hunted by Voss like a Lion on a baby deer, he seemed reliable enough.
It’s a shame Dyson Sharp is injured, but the Bombers certainly have a trio of young stars to work with.
Dockers depth has them poised for long run
Coming into today’s game without Alex Pearce, Corey Wagner, and Hayden Young, Fremantle showed they have the depth to cover injuries.
Oscar McDonald replaced Pearce and did an admirable job, and they also had the option to play Hugh Davies in the position before opting to go with the more seasoned veteran.
Most sides are lucky to have just one depth player at the key defender spot, and many have zero that are up to the task, so it’s a luxury for Fremantle to have both of these blokes there to call on.
Nathan O’Driscoll was important playing on a wing to cover for Wagner’s spot, and Justin Longmuir was able to move some pieces around to fill the void left by Hayden Young.
Murphy Reid was one of the beneficiaries of an increased midfield role, stacking up 30 disposals and a goal, while Shai Bolton went for 24 and two.
Being able to sustain form in the face of injuries is imperative for Freo if they want to finish top two, and they showed today they’ve got the cattle in the yard.
And some quick hitters to finish us off…
- Archie Roberts collected 30 disposals, yet wasn’t able to have much influence on the game. It was a stark contrast to Murphy Reid’s 30.
- I really like what Chris Scerri brings to the Dockers. Not sure he’ll hold his spot, but his six tackles and ability to hit the ball at pace is impressive. Kicked his first goal in AFL footy today, too.
- Essendon’s senior players finally gave them something in the second half. It’s been left to their younger brigade for too long this season, but guys like Kyle Langford, Zach Merrett and Darcy Parish stepped up in the later stages of this one.
- Michael Frederick moving to a wing is something I really like. Allows him to use his natural talents a lot more.
Okay, that’s a wrap on this one. Until next time, you stay classy, San Diego.