Fremantle Dockers vs Western Bulldogs: AFL live scores, blog

Match report Fremantle have proved too fast, too classy and too determined for the visiting Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium, winning their Saturday night clash by 54 points. Right from the beginning the Dockers looked switched on. While the midfield contest was even, Freo were much more purposeful with the ball. In particular they ran hard and moved the ball quickly across half forward, getting themselves into good scoring positions time and again. As a result, they found it much easier around goal, kicking four goals straight to the Dogs' one goal two behinds. The Dogs were keen to respond in the second term, booting the first two goals to bring themselves back within a kick. But their intensity wasn't matched by their execution, surrendering the initiative through silly mistakes in the middle of the ground, admittedly often under strong defensive pressure from the home side. After missing some chances the Dockers got on top once more, and a brief storm created slippery conditions the Western players – perhaps too used to the comfortable confines of the Docklands – struggled even more to hit targets. Freo extended their lead back to three goals by half time, but they were just warming for what would be a decisive third quarter. Right from the beginning of the second half the Dockers looked even sharper and hungrier, and the Dogs even more listless, than either team had in the first two quarters. Freo were well on top in every department, winning the ball out of the middle, and setting up good shots at goal through their pace around half forward. And on the rare occasions when the Dogs had a chance to clear, they would inevitably come unstuck in the middle of the ground where they faced relentless tackling pressure and an empty forwardline. The Dockers piled on the goals, kicking six of them before their opponents troubled the scorers. Some of the stats late in the quarter were scarcely believable; almost 90% of forward half territory and every inside 50 bar one until the last two or three minutes. When the third quarter siren rang out, the Dockers held a 50 point lead and it was clear the contest was over. The last stanza was a rather less intense affair, with quite a lot of open play and a fair number of goals at either end. It did give a few individuals a chance to pad out some already impressive stats, most notably Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters. The Freo captain had 43 touches, and some of them were very classy indeed. Walters for his part kicked five goals, including a couple of beauties. The Dockers had virtually no passengers tonight, but Wilson, McCarthy and young Adam Cerra were some of their other better performers. One sour note for Freo though was the loss of Matt Taberner to a lower leg injury in the first term, after he'd made a great start to the match. The Dogs will be bitterly disappointed not to have been more competitive tonight, after a couple of better performances recently. They did however get good games out of Toby McLean, Caleb Daniel and the impressive young ruckman Tim English. Billy Gowers made a nuisance of himself up forward with two goals. The story tonight though is Freo's performance, and their growing dominance at their new home ground. Some of their forward movement tonight, moving the ball laterally, quickly to create chances, will no doubt be heavily studied by their coming opponents. It certainly looked hard to stop this evening. A perfect tune up for the Western Derby next week, as well as four valuable points for Freo.

Full time Fremantle 16.12.108 Western Bulldogs 8.6.54 A comprehensive win for the Dockers.

GOAL WESTERN A fine goal by Gowers, running onto his left and snapping from 45m. That adds some respectability to the score. Freo 108 Western 54

Inside the last minute now.

GOAL BULLDOGS Lin Jong with a long shot after a 50m penalty, doesn't make good contact, but it just clears the pack for a sausage roll. Freo 106 Western 48

GOAL FREO Blakeley on the wing doesn't seem confident what to do with, but his kick falls onto the chest of Stephen Hill. From 50m out Hill kicks truly to further extend the lead. Freo 106 Western 42 3 minutes left.

GOAL WESTERN Gowers marks on his chest 20m out, after a centring kick by Honeychurch. Gowers kicks the goal, as he should. Freo 100 Dogs 42 Five minutes left to kill.

GOAL FREO Walters kicks his fifth, after marking in the goalsquare after some rather average defending by the Dogs. Freo 100 Western 36

This would sap much of the confidence they'd won.

GOAL WESTERN A mistake by Wilson, and McLean capitalises by kicking the goal. In fact the umpire has called it touched, but the review appears to show it crossing the line before the Freo defender got a hand to it, so I imagine this will be overturned. And it is. Freo 93 Western 36

GOAL FREO Neale and Fyfe combine, with the former spotting up Ballantyne in space. Ballantyne ignores Walters on his own and will shoot from the arc of 50. His shot just has the distance, through for a goal. Freo 91 Western 29 Party time.

McCarthy once more on a strong lead, is hit up by an excellent weighted kick by David Mundy. Difficult shot, 40m out on a tight angle, and he misses to the right.

GOAL FREO Shocking error by Suckling, trying and failing to kick on his right. Once again Freo capitalise, strong work by Crowden to put Banfield away, who in turn finds mcCarthy in space. McCarthy strolls inside 50 to kick the goal under minimal pressure. Freo by 55 points.