Star GWS forward Jeremy Cameron was left with a bloody nose as his side crashed to a 21-point defeat to Fremantle in Sunday’s AFL clash at Domain Stadium.
A dazed Cameron was forced from the field late in the opening term after copping an elbow from Dockers defender Zac Dawson.
Dawson, playing his first match of the year, is almost certain to come under scrutiny from the AFL’s match review panel over the incident, which occurred while both players were lying on the ground after competing for a ball.
Dawson wasn’t facing Cameron when he swung his right elbow back, but the incident still looked ugly enough to warrant closer attention.
Cameron required extensive bandaging around his head to stem the bleeding, and he gave Dawson a big spray when he returned to the field for the start of the second quarter.
The 22-year-old’s nose bled throughout the match, and he finished with just two goals as the Dockers ran out 12.12 (84) to 9.9 (63) winners.
Dockers goalsneak Michael Walters booted four goals, while Aaron Sandilands was a force in the ruck.
Fremantle dominated most of the key stats throughout the contest, but their sloppy execution kept GWS in the contest until midway through the third quarter.
Danyle Pearce, Hayden Crozier, Michael Barlow, and Chris Mayne all missed easy goals in the first half, while defender-cum-forward Alex Pearce didn’t make the distance on two occasions from 45m out.
The Giants started the third term full of run, and a boilover loomed after they closed the margin to just 12 points.
But an umpiring howler halted GWS in their tracks.
The Giants should have been awarded a free kick in their defensive half when the ball bounced off Docker Alex Pearce’s foot and went out of bounds on the full.
But the boundary umpire instead awarded the free kick to Fremantle, with the home side scoring a goal from their foray forward.
The Dockers added another two unanswered goals to open up a 33-point lead by the final break, with GWS unable to reel in the deficit.
The result all but guarantees Fremantle a top-two berth, with the ladder-leading Dockers now three wins clear of third spot.
GWS remain half a win adrift of eighth spot ahead of next week’s home match against struggling Essendon.
The Giants lost Matt Buntine to concussion in the second term, while ruckman Tom Downie was forced off with a head knock of his own in the third quarter.
Tempers threatened to boil over early in the final quarter when a number of players were involved in a wrestle.
Cameron was in the thick of the action, with the melee leaving him with blood all over his face yet again.
13th Man
Guest
you can't put Fyfe in the same sentence as the others. He is all class. Dawson deserves two weeks for that, pretty stupid really!
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Vig, you've got to admit it was a pretty slanted article with a disproportionate amount of words spent on two incidences.
Vig
Guest
-- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Vig
Guest
I thought it was a pretty good write up, except missing anything about Cameron's exchanges w the reserve umpire, which wasn't a good look as Lyon observed. Some of Freo's fans on here are a bit precious ! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download it now [http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/the-roar/id327174726?mt=8].
Balthazar
Guest
Or.. the media criticism might just have something to do with the Hawks rarely getting punished for their hits. Freo certainly gets no free ride from the MRP. Stupid and thuggish by Dawson and he deserves 2 weeks and will get it. Now just what was Mitchell's suspension for hobbling Fyfe for 4, maybe 5, weeks? Oh that's right a $1000 fine. What a ridiculously biased article. For me. I like young Pearce down forward, he's playing with such maturity and poise. And speaking of poise, well done young Weller. Kid looked right at home. Good speed, execution and awesome tackling. Like to see him in the team over some of our "role" players
johno
Guest
7 paragraphs on the Dawson incident and result of that incident, three on one free kick incident (out of 30+ paid for the game), two on Freo's sloppy disposal and poor shooting for goal, one on injuries to the Giants (none on the Mayne ankle injury) and one on a bit of possible fisticuffs. The author then spends a whole one sentence on who actually played well for Freo. I know Justin is a West Ausralian writer, but gee if you don't like aussie rules maybe you should look for work elsewhere......
WhereIsGene
Guest
Zac Dawson's always been a thug and a hack, much like Crowley. I hope the MRP throws the book at him. Funny how the media blabbers about unsociable Hawthorn when Freo have by far the most reported players in the comp. Dawson, Ballantyne, Crowley & Fyfe just can't help themselves when it comes to throwing elbows and cheap shots behind play. Funny, Ross Lyon had exactly the same reputation for instructing his players to play 'close to the line' at St.Kilda, with Baker & Milne two prime examples.
Freo As
Guest
Interesting focus for the write up, couldn't squeeze something about West Coast in there?
13th Man
Guest
Got the job done and are honing in on the minor premiership. Again it wasn't a super performance but GWS were pretty good. Alex Pearce looks good up forward as well, he could've had 4 goals today! Lachy Weller also had a nice start, looks alright. Get Fyfe back next week to play our bogey team St Kilda.