St Kilda have defied inaccuracy, and a constant Fremantle who lead for much of the game, to stun the Dockers and win by nine points in a often heated match at Domain Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Fremantle Dockers 12.8.80
St Kilda Saints 12.17.89
The final game of Round 15 takes us to Perth, as the Fremantle Dockers desperately try to end their losing streak, against a St Kilda Saints side that are attempting to win in WA for the first time in seven games. Join us on The Roar for live scores and a blog from 4:40pm AEST.
If you’d have asked any footy fan what the result of last weekend’s Fremantle versus Geelong match would’ve been, a comfortable Geelong win would have probably been the consensus. Alas, it wasn’t to be.
Geelong won, but Freo’s resilience – sabotaged only by a Michael Walters miss in the dying seconds – surprised most, especially myself.
Coming after brutal losses to Adelaide, the Pies and – gasp – Brisbane! Bipolar is an apt word to describe this Freo team, then.
For the Saints, their Round 14 match was one of the less surprising matches of an outstanding round. A regulation victory against an injury-ridden Gold Coast outfit, moving them into the top eight and allowing them to sit relatively comfortable with eight wins and seven losses.
The haven’t been playing their best footy, though, which can be both a concern and a relief for fans, depending on how you look at it.
Nonetheless, finals, like with their Fremantle opponents, are a very possible – if not entirely realistic – proposition.
The midfield battle in this one should be a beauty, with Fremantle’s midfield of Fyfe, Neale et al heading up against the Saint’s equally decorated group.
Another player who the Dockers will have to be wary of is Jack Billings, who has become a star for the Saints in recent weeks.
For the home team, it’s Hayden Ballantyne who they’d want to continue his form he showed in his 2017 return match last week.
Fremantle has made numerous changes – most of them out of necessity – for today’s match.
Stephen Hill and Josh Deluca are out with a calf and ankle injuries respectively, while Shane Kersten has been dropped after a few poor weeks and impressive youngster Connor Blakely has been banished due to an club imposed suspension.
In their place, vital players Nat Fyfe and Aaron Sandilands are back into the side, while youngsters Brady Grey and Ethan Hughes also re-join the senior team.
Young ruckman Sean Darcy has been spared an axing, being paired with Sandilands and allowing Fremantle to return to their more traditional dual ruck set up for the match.
For St Kilda, there’s only the one change. Youngster Blake Acres has been omitted, being replaced by Jack Steele, who was himself dropped from the seniors a fortnight ago.
Prediction
This’ll be a closer game than most predict, I’m thinking. Fremantle will be buoyed by their previous performance in Victoria, while St Kilda are well and truly in the finals hunt and will be beyond excited to show their West Australian fans a victory.
St Kilda are the bookies favourites, but – bias notwithstanding – it’s Fremantle who are narrowly mine. I wouldn’t be surprised if this goes down to the final stages, though.
Fremantle by 7 points.
anon
Roar Pro
Lyon has been instructing his players to kick in an arc trying to get the switch going since last year, which makes me think the switch is a coaching instruction. If it's not a tactic, then Lyon needs to be held to account for having no control over his players.
anon
Roar Pro
I think Longmire went to a Grand Final last year with similar demographics. Saints were ordinary and had 9 more scoring shots. No forward structure for Freo has there has never been under Ross Lyon. Even with Walters kicking 6.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
There is nothing wrong with playing it that way sometimes if you can then get the ball moving and open up a bit of space but we were just too slow and indecisive - go one way but then the next player doesn't go quick enough and they have to backtrack. We haven't done it that often or that poorly all year. I don't think it can be thrown into the 'Ross Lyons fault' basket. It was player execution and decion making. Kicking to a poor option like a 50m kick slightly backwards to a player in the corridor where the ball just hangs in the air for an eternity. That isn't Ross Lyon. That is just poor decision making and execution by a player in the moment. We just had a few too many of them in one game.
Don Freo
Guest
Ross Lyon footy...competitive all the way again, despite having 11 players who have played less than 50 games. That's good coaching.
anon
Roar Pro
Freo were disgraceful with turnovers and just chipping it around for no reason. One of our most disappointing losses this year. Really didn’t like how we played today. That's Ross Lyon footy, mate.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
Yes Brennan Cox and Sean Darcy have been super impressive. Definitely enjoying watching them. We certainly have the makings of a strong team developing, but there is still a long way to go. Our ball use was pretty awful though and we just kicked it to the Saints time and time again. We go for the switch but just play it way to slow and indecisively (go to switch but then see it isn't on so we kick it back again...repeat two or three times until eventually we turn it over). We invited the pressure in. I thought we had control of the game for large periods but either didn't capitalise or coughed it up too easily. Giving up the free kick that Balla had was silly and then Riewoldt took full advantage of an umpire who wasn't paying attention. All these things resulted in a loss. Could have been 8-6 and sitting in the top 8 had we done a few more things right this week and last. It isn't all doom and gloom. We just aren't consistent enough yet.
Don Freo
Guest
Both Balic and Bennell will play for Peel this week. Stephen Hill and Blakely back. This is getting really solid.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
It's the fact that I could sense the loss coming that made it worse. Nonetheless, I'd be being selfish if I didn't give credit to the Saints. Big fan of their work this year, and they probably outworked us throughout parts of the game. I blogged that whilst in quite a bit of pain as well so it wasn't the best day for me.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
The kids were sensational. I'd want McCarthy to be dropped down to Peel. Do you know how Balic's doing after his return? Maybe he could come back in? Blogging the ending was hard though, I won't lie. I was pretty upset.
Josh
Expert
I almost feel bad for making you blog that.
Don Freo
Guest
So were the kids. Great game to watch. Still frustrated with Sheridan, Spurr and Crozier. McCarthy probably needs to kick some goals at Peel. Logue up forward with Cox.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Damn shame I couldn't watch this game. Bad luck, AD. Another amazing round of footy.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
» Click here to read the full match report I'm off now, thanks for joining me tonight! Well done to St Kilda on a great victory.
Mattician6x6
Guest
AD - understand feeling but the progress of freo is amazing and your boys ate not that far off being a force again.
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
Well done Saints. Freo were disgraceful with turnovers and just chipping it around for no reason. One of our most disappointing losses this year. Really didn't like how we played today. Side note: Michael Walters is a star.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Great way to finish weekend, well done saints but freo showing a lot this season for me to reckon they are going to have a quick turnaround in their rebuild.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
That one hurts.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
FULL TIME St Kilda win by nine points. What an ending. Fremantle: 12.8 (80) St Kilda: 12.17 (89)
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Bruce goals! St Kilda will win.
TomC
Roar Guru
Bad luck AD.