The Greater Western Sydney Giants have come from 15 points down at the start of the final quarter to defeat the Fremantle Dockers by 12, lifting them to second on the ladder for the time being.
Final score
GWS Giants 13.20 98
Fremantle Dockers 13.8 86
The GWS Giants will be desperate to restore their premiership credentials when they host the Fremantle Dockers at Spotless Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 2:10pm (AEST).
Long touted as the team to beat in 2017, the last month has cast serious doubt as to whether Greater Western Sydney will be a force at all in September.
Two draws, followed by dispiriting losses to Sydney and Richmond, have seen the Giants slip to third on the ladder – with their spot in the top four altogether under legitimate threat.
Looking back further than the last month however, and one must wonder whether Leon Cameron’s men are in fact a top side, or whether they’ve been riding some serious luck all year that’s now starting to run dry.
Since round five, the Giants have won just one game by more than three goals – a 60-point win over Brisbane. Four of their 10 wins this season have come by fewer than 10 points.
Only a comfortable win over the Dockers today will see some of that doubt start to clear.
Fremantle also enter this contest in a form slump, although theirs is considerably more frightening.
After an encouraging 6-3 start to the season, the Dockers have fallen off a cliff, losing seven of their last eight games.
Had Todd Goldstein not shanked his fourth-quarter free kick three weeks ago, Ross Lyon’s charges would be winless since May.
Fremantle will be watching the finals on TV in 2017, but they’d be desperate to close out the year on some kind of high – and a boilover against the Giants could be just the fillip they’re looking for.
This will be just the second visit to Spotless Stadium Fremantle have made. They were the last team to make their debut at the venue when these sides clashed in Round 22 last year.
The Dockers’ 92-point loss in that clash makes them one of a whopping seven teams who have never won at the ground.
Prediction
Winning games has proven to be an unusually difficult task for these sides of late, but with so much more to play for and a decent home ground advantage, GWS should be the ones to arrest their slump.
Giants by 34 points
Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 2:10pm (AEST).
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
Very happy with most of that performance. If we had taken those chances in the 3rd quarter when we were lively then we could have been 5 goals up at 3/4 time. Then the Giants came out on fire in the last and we were flat and had no answer. Really liked Luke Ryan's game today I thought he was very strong. And whilst Kersten will never be Matthew Pavlich, if he can string together some performances similar to today's then he will be very serviceable in the short to medium term. Thought he looked a lot more lively today than he has in previous weeks. I'm really enjoying watching the development of Lachie Weller and Darcy Tucker. They have really come along this season and are starting to impact games a lot more. Along with Connor Blakeley and Sean Darcy they have all impressed me this year. Cox and Logue will also be good long term prospects. Logue is a little fumbly and often looks nervous but he will come good. Another thing to note is that I thought Sutcliffe was actually pretty good today. I thought he would be struggling to break back into the team but based on today's performance it looked like he has worked hard and earned it. Hoping we can replicate this performance next week and grab a win against Gold Coast at home! Goooo Freo!
Eric
Guest
Poor kicking at goal by GWS is the only reason they didn't win by 6 goals
Stirling Coates
Editor
GWS GIANTS v FREMANTLE THE ROAR AFL MVP VOTES 3 VOTES - Dylan Shiel (GWS) - Was on all day, before absolutely turning it on in the last quarter with a match-winning effort. 26 disposals - at 85% effectiveness - nine clearances, seven inside 50s and a goal. Played a big hand in Josh Kelly's match-sealing goal too. 2 VOTES - Nat Fyfe (FRE) - Racked up 31 disposals, five clearances, five tackles and two goals in a superb effort. Was probably best on ground for the first three quarters, but some errors in the last quarter pulls him down to second. 1 VOTE - Luke Ryan (FRE) - Defenders don't get enough credit, but Luke Ryan deserves a vote for his effort. 25 disposals at 88% effectiveness, 14 marks, eight rebound 50s and six tackles.
Micko
Guest
Very lucky giants. They can do it when they grit the teeth but are mostly very lazy. A lot of work to do.
Stirling Coates
Editor
GWS GIANTS v FREMANTLE FULL TIME REPORT GWS Giants - 13.20 (98) Fremantle - 13.8 (86) GOAL KICKERS Giants: M. Kennedy 2, Lobb 2, Patton 2, Whitfield, de Boer, Cameron, Haynes, Smith, Scully, Kelly Dockers: Kersten 3, Fyfe 2, Grey 2, B. Hill, Suban, Hughes, Mundy, Ballantyne, Tucker DISPOSAL LEADERS Giants: Kelly 27, Coniglio 27, Shiel 26 Dockers: Fyfe 31, Neale 30, S. Hill 26
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND GIANTS SIREN Devon Smith goes for the knockout blow just before the siren, but his running shot at goal is off to the left. Somewhat fittingly, the game ends with a GWS behind. They've overcome an enormous fright from the Fremantle Dockers, using an exceptional fourth quarter to overcome being outplayed over the first three and claim a stirring 12-point win. GWS - 13.20 (98) FRE - 13.8 (86) FULL TIME
Stirling Coates
Editor
GWS have put the defensive structure in place well, and in the end Bradley Hill isn't able to pull the trigger on a kick inside 50, sending it to the half forward flank - but he misses the target. That'll do it. GWS - 13.19 (97) FRE - 13.8 (86) Q4: 1'
Stirling Coates
Editor
1:27 to go, throw-in on the wing. Do or die for Fremantle GWS - 13.19 (97) FRE - 13.8 (86) Q4: 2'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL GIANTS Huge! Dylan Shiel does a fantastic job to evade two tacklers inside 50, looks to the boundary and finds Josh Kelly with the handball. Kelly throws it on the boot from tight on the boundary and through. it. sails! GWS - 13.19 (97) FRE - 13.8 (86) Q4: 3'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND GIANTS Huge! Jon Patton runs toward 50 and tries a kick through the vacant goal square, but Lachie Weller pushed him late and it ends up being a downfield free kick! Jeremy Cameron tries the snap across the body, but he hooks it to the near side! GWS - 12.19 (91) FRE - 13.8 (86) Q4: 3'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Fremantle have definitely regained their composure after the Giants came out firing in the first bit of this quarter. They look more than capable of stealing this one - this is a thriller. GWS - 12.18 (90) FRE - 13.8 (86) Q4: 4'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND GIANTS Josh Kelly sends a speculative snap to the goal square, but it takes an awkward bounce and ends up on the wrong side of the post. GWS - 12.18 (90) FRE - 13.8 (86) Q4: 5'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL DOCKERS Game on at Spotless! Fremantle go coast to coast from the kick-in, and with free men everywhere, Darcy Tucker puts the team on his back, runs inside 50 and slots it from 40! Three points the margin! GWS - 12.17 (89) FRE - 13.8 (86) Q4: 6'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND GIANTS Dawson Simpson wins the free kick inside 50 after Sean Darcy captures him a fraction high in the ruck contest. Could be a huge goal in his first game for the club, but it never looks like a goal - well off to the far side. GWS - 12.17 (89) FRE - 12.8 (80) Q4: 6'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Tackles are now even at 55-55 after Fremantle had their noses in front in that category for most of the day. GWS have opened up a +23 differential in the contested possession count. GWS - 12.16 (88) FRE - 12.8 (80) Q4: 7'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND GIANTS GWS try the instant reply with a quick clearance and inside 50, but Heath Shaw's kick on the run is off to the right. It felt like the Giants were close to sewing this one up, but there's only two kicks in it with plenty of time. GWS - 12.16 (88) FRE - 12.8 (80) Q4: 8'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL DOCKERS Freo won't go! David Mundy with a fantastic slow handball close to the boundary to allow Hayden Ballantyne back into the contest, and the livewire forward doesn't let an ex-skipper down - his fantastic snap across the body is through! GWS - 12.15 (87) FRE - 12.8 (80) Q4: 9'
Stirling Coates
Editor
The Giants have won the clearance count 11-0 in this quarter. Fremantle look to have retreated right back into their shells. Whatever Leon Cameron said (or whatever tone he used) worked. GWS - 12.15 (87) FRE - 11.8 (74) Q4: 10'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND GIANTS (almost) Everything going right for the Giants this quarter! Matt de Boer plays it well on the half forward flank, dancing around two defenders before sending a great kick inside 50 to the diving Callan Ward. To make it three straight kicks in favour of the home side, Ward's kick is well across the face. GWS - 12.15 (87) FRE - 11.8 (74) Q4: 11'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL GIANTS GWS win another clearance and send the ball back inside 50, where Jon Patton is awarded the free kick after Michael Johnson holds him away from the contest. Kicking from 20 out on a moderate angle, he leans back into it - but it's through the middle ones! What a turnaround! GWS - 12.14 (86) FRE - 11.8 (74) Q4: 12'