Fremantle have ended their JLT Community Series on a perfect note, an emphatic 62-point win over a dreadful West Coast not only giving the men in purple some early crosstown bragging rights, but giving fans hope of a first finals appearance since 2015.
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Final score
Fremantle Dockers 14.17 (101)
West Coast Eagles 5.9 (39)
It’s derby time in the pre-season as Fremantle and West Coast look to get some early bragging rights in the lead-up to the home and away season. Join The Roar for live scores and our match blog from 7:05pm (AEDT).
After finishing first and second on the ladder back in 2015, the bottom has fallen out for both West Australian sides, with neither tipped by many pundits to so much as crack the top eight in 2018.
The Dockers have embarked on a slow but steady rebuild since their disastrous start to the 2016 season, but with plenty of reliance still on the old firm of captain Nat Fyfe, David Mundy, Lachie Neale and Michael Walters, they’ve still got a fair way to go before they can reach the premiership window once again.
Still, the men in purple showed some spunk in a gallant loss to Adelaide in their opening JLT series match, and while Fyfe was the star with 27 touches and two goals, the likes of Connor Blakely, Luke Ryan and Matt Taberner all showed enough to get Dockers fans excited about the year to come.
Unlike their bitter rivals, the Eagles have made the finals in the past two seasons since their run to the Grand Final in 2015, but a pair of inglorious exits in the first and second weeks respectively have been a poor return for a side so undoubtedly talented.
Now minus Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis, who joined recruited duo Sam Mitchell and Drew Petrie in retirement after last years’ semi-final loss to GWS, it’s a fresh-looking Eagles side that heads into the new year, and with plenty of excitement in the ranks in the form of forward speedsters Liam Ryan and Willie Rioli, Eagles fans also have plenty to look forward to.
They showed plenty of mettle in a two-point win over Port Adelaide to kick off their pre-season, with Jack Redden impressing with 26 touches in the Priddis inside midfielder role, while the usual suspects Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey and Elliot Yeo also found plenty of the Sherrin.
But there’s still no sign of marquee ruckman and most important player Nic Naitanui, the dreadlocked star making his return to football after a knee injury through the WAFL rather than being risked in the senior side, and his spot for Round 1 looks more uncertain by the day.
Prediction
Two young sides smattered with midfield stars at the top, the Eagles and the Dockers look quite similar on paper. But the Eagles have that extra dollop of class that their rivals lack, and that should be enough to see them home.
Eagles by 22 points
One player who will be hoping more than most to catch the eye is Dockers’ youngster Bailey Banfield, the unknown rookie impressing tremendously with three goals in a scratch match against the Eagles and looming as a shock inclusion for Round 1.
Can the purple army get one over their crosstown rivals and get a win to their name for the pre-season? Or will the Eagles make it two from two?
Tune into The Roar’s live coverage from 7:05pm (AEDT) to find out, and don’t forget to tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don Freo
Guest
That won't be a problem. Remember you think Ross is the only coach that plays defence. No other team will do it. Now you think he has a different attacking game plan based on flimsy attack despite the fact you claim he has the same one from 20 years ago. Any chance of remembering what you last argued?
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
His prescence down back is really a huge asset to us.
Balthazar
Guest
Luke Ryan. Best Dockers recruit in years (Alex Pearce not too far behind). By end 2018 everyone will know his name.
mattyb
Guest
I'm tipping a breakout season for Tabs.
13th Man
Guest
Geez i hope West Coast havent fooled Ross Lyon into giving him a game.
Tim Miller
Editor
Fremantle 14.17 (101) defeated West Coast 5.9 (39) by 62 points at HBF Arena, Joondalup. GOALS Fremantle: Ballantyne 3, Neale 3, Walters 2, Taberner 2, Fyfe, Banfield, Langdon, D Pearce. West Coast: Cripps, Ryan, Jetta, Waterman, LeCras. BEST Fremantle: Neale, Ballantyne, Langdon, Sandilands, Tucker, Taberner, Wilson. West Coast: Duggan, McGovern, Ryan. INJURIES Fremantle: Nil West Coast: Rioli (ankle)
Tim Miller
Editor
That's it from me this evening. Thanks for your company! A disappointingly one-sided game, but we saw some great footy from the Dockers, particularly in the first two and a half quarters. That also wraps up The Roar's coverage of the 2018 JLT Community Series; we've all enjoyed bringing these 18 games to you in the past few weeks. Only 11 more sleeps until Round 1...
Tim Miller
Editor
Fremantle have ended their JLT Community Series on a perfect note, an emphatic 62-point win over a dreadful West Coast not only giving the men in purple some early crosstown bragging rights, but giving fans hope of a first finals appearance since 2015. Three goals apiece to Lachie Neale and Hayden Ballantyne, the latter enjoying perhaps his best game since his halcyon days of 2015, led the day for the Dockers, only some errant kicking in front of goal preventing the 14.17 (101) to 5.8 (38) victory being even greater. Apart from a five-minute purple patch to start the game, during which the Eagles booted the first two goals of the game, it was a dismal performance from Adam Simpson's charges, and while it's not panic stations yet, there is plenty to improve on ahead of a blockbuster Round 1 clash with Sydney, the first senior AFL game at the new Optus Stadium. Horrendous kicking- they finished with 72 clangers from just 318 disposals- afforded the Dockers turnovers galore, with not even captain Shannon Hurn immune, while just 33 inside-50s gave their forwards zero supply. All that started at the coalface, where the Dockers' trio of Neale, Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe routinely blitzed the Eagles' own centre square combination, the absence of retired clearance king Matt Priddis and marquee ruckman Nic Naitanui more glaring with every passing moment. 32 clearances to 26- at half time it was 22 to 11- doesn't do justice to the Dockers' dominance. The bright spots were few and far between, though Liam Ryan (13 touches and a goal) impressed from limited supply up forward, while Liam Duggan (24 disposals) did enough to suggest he's ready to move into a more permanent midfield role in 2018, and looming free agent Jeremy McGovern held firm under sizeable pressure in the defensive 50. But while everything the Dockers did had an asterisk attached to it, courtesy of the Eagles' insipid display, it was a commendable effort from Ross Lyon's men. Slingshot footy from half-back was the order of the day, the stagnant, turnover-laced passages of play last year a distant memory as new recruit Nathan Wilson and Liam Ryan kickstarted multiple scoring chains from half-back. Up forward, Matt Taberner continued his sterling pre-season form with a two-goal, 12-mark display that will have Dockers fans hoping a breakout year is on the cards, while 26 touches from Darcy Tucker and 22 from Ed Langdon showed the future in midfield is bright as well. It's only pre-season, but while the Eagles have a lot of work to do, the Dockers could hardly have been more impressive.
anon
Roar Pro
Losing two Brownlow Medallists in the midfield, no Kennedy and no Natanui really hurts them. Interesting to see how Fremantle's game plan holds up when teams play defence. Over the last few pre-seasons Fremantle have had high scoring performances only to go back into their shells come round 1.
User
Roar Rookie
Two weeks and the real stuff starts,
Don Freo
Guest
Yep...although Tabs had 23 disposals and 12 marks opposed to Barrass.
Tim Miller
Editor
"If we want to rock up for Round 1 and dish up that kind of effort, it will be (cause for concern)," says Eagles skipper Shannon Hurn. "We don't think that will happen."
Tim Miller
Editor
If both sides played like Freo did today, it would have been great! But the Eagles' effort made it pretty forgettable- unless you're a Dockers fan of course.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Great win, and great performance. Very, very happy today. Enjoy blogging this one, Tim?
Tim Miller
Editor
Hayden Ballantyne: "Our stoppage work was really good, the big fella Aaron (Sandilands) was getting his hands to the ball, giving our mids first use. Good to get some goals on the board, too. "Bailey (Banfield) has got a pretty big body on him; he's been really good, his pressure is outstanding. "I cramped in the last quarter, but nothing too major."
Tim Miller
Editor
Johnson marks at half-back, and the siren sounds to end the Eagles' misery. FREMANTLE 14.17 (101) WEST COAST 5.9 (39) FULL TIME
Tim Miller
Editor
BEHIND WEST COAST- 29 Scott Lycett (0.2) As the clock ticks under a minute, Yeo lowers his eyes and hits up the leading Lycett in front of Hamling, resting forward, 40 out directly in front. The ruckman misses to the right. FREMANTLE 14.17 (101) WEST COAST 5.9 (39) Q4, 0.17 left
Tim Miller
Editor
BEHIND FREMANTLE- 41 Bailey Banfield (1.2) Freo break again off half-back through the spring of Wilson, the chain ends with Walters who draws the man then dishes to Banfield, and the youngster runs to 30...misses. FREMANTLE 14.17 (101) WEST COAST 5.8 (38) Q4, 1.40 left
Tim Miller
Editor
BEHIND WEST COAST- 15 Jamie Cripps (1.2) A rare poor pass from Lachie Neale, looking inboard at half-back, lets the Eagles in for a turnover, as Jack Darling picks up and finds Jamie Cripps in space 25 out. Should be a simple kick, but he misses narrowly to the far side. FREMANTLE 14.16 (100) WEST COAST 5.8 (38) Q4, 2.49 left
FreoFan
Roar Rookie
Yes I’ve been in hibernation during the off season! Been very busy with other things so haven’t had time to get involved on the roar lately, unfortunately. Good to hear that someone missed my presence while I’ve been gone! Ha! Us Dockers fans need to stick together on this website!