Fremantle Dockers cause a boilover in AFLW thriller

The Fremantle Dockers have caused an upset at home in the AFLW by defeating the Melbourne Demons by five points in their first ever win at Fremantle Oval.

After starting the final term a goal behind, the Dockers showed desperation with a final quarter comeback to win 6.0 (36) to the Demons 4.7 (31) to finish the third round of the 2018 season.

After their win last week in front of a huge 40,000-plus crowd, it was a different affair at the suburban ground as the Dockers looked stale to open the match.

The Demons came out firing to lead by 11 points at quarter time and keeping the Dockers scoreless, until Fremantle responded to take a one-point lead at the half.

A mark under the pump with 20 seconds to go inside the defensive 50 saw captain Kara Donnellan hold onto the game with both sides desperate to hold onto the ball.

A final play in the last stage saw the Demons push forward as time ran out with the ball finishing inside their forward 50.

While most of the scoring for the day was down one end it was Emily McGuire who had a debut to remember with two creative goals — including a contender for goal o fit year form the boundary.

After she was too young to be drafted last year, McGuire was picked up at number 33 in the draft, made the most of her opportunity with two memorable snap goals and looks ready-made for AFL Women’s.

Kara Donnellan (17 disposals, 8 tackles, 3 marks), Lisa Webb (17 disposals and 4 marks led the way for the home side while Evangaline Gooch (15 disposals) was a rock all day.

With a chance to go atop of the ladder, the Demons only have themselves to blame for poor kicking and missed shots on goal, and could end up costing them a spot in the final in a month’s time.

It was their first time they’ve travelled to Western Australia, as the Demons dominated the stat sheet to lead the disposal count 216 to 187, Inside 50s 34 to 24, marks inside 50 by 11 to 2, tackles 66 to 57, and hitouts 35 to 18.

But at the end of the day it was Fremantle who sent the Demons packing in the midfield by winnning clearances 28 to 11 as a telling factor of the day.

Skipper Daisy Pearce can hold her head up high with 23 disposals — including nine disposals in the second quarter — three marks and four tackles to lead the way for the Demons.

After wasting a couple of opportunities, Tegan Cunningham showed promising signs with two goals, six marks and five tackles.

The result now leaves five teams on a 2-1 win-loss ratio leaving the race for the grand final wide open at the end of round three.

With only a month left of the season, Melbourne now sit in second on the ladder and will head straight to Alice Springs in search of consistency against Collingwood on Saturday night, while the Dockers will travel to Brisbane on Saturday afternoon to try and maintain a presence in the race for the grand final.