FREMANTLE 15.10 (100) def COLLINGWOOD 10.13 (73)
MICHAEL Walters lit up Patersons Stadium with four goals on Saturday night as Fremantle defeated Collingwood by 27 points.
The Dockers got off to the best possible start- kicking the first five goals of the game overwhelming the Magpies early.
Fremantle lost ball winner Stephen Hill prior to the start of the contest and the Dockers injury riddled season continued early into the first quarter when ruckman Jon Griffin went down with a season ending knee injury.
It is cruel luck for Griffin, who has stepped up for Fremantle this season in the absence of Aaron Sandilands.
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Rookie Jack Hannath and defender Zac Dawson did a serviceable job handling Collingwood’s Darren Jolly and Quieten Lynch after Griffin went down.
The Magpies first goal came late into the first quarter thanks to Steele Sidebottom but not long after Walters added to the scoreboard, giving Fremantle at 32 point lead going into the first break.
Walters opened the second term the same way he closed the first and along with a goal from Tendai Mzungu, the Dockers had pushed the lead out to 44 points and had the Magpies at their mercy- overrunning them at every contest.
Collingwood rallied back midway through the second term, creating a few scoring opportunities that led to goals from Sam Dwyer and Andrew Krakouer to reduce the lead.
Despite having the momentum, the Magpies Heath Shaw gave away a free kick to Hayden Ballentyne late in the half that the Dockers forward was able to convert into a goal, giving Fremantle a 36 point lead at half time.
The premiership quarter was all Collingwood as the Magpies piled on the goals. Krakouer, Dwyer, Dane Swan, Jarryd Blair and Ben Kennedy all kicked goals as the visitors ended the quarter with six goals to one and reduced the Fremantle lead to just five points.
Collingwood continued their strong second half form early in the last term when Coalan Mooney kicked the opening goal to give the Magpies their first lead of the game.
As the game slipped away from them in the second half, Fremantle dug deep and after goals to Hannath and Chris Mayne the Dockers were back up by 11 points.
With the game in the balance the brilliance of Michael Walters was on display as the dynamic forward kicked two goals back to back that sealed the match for Fremantle.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon was proud of the teams’ effort to get back on top of the contest despite giving up a big lead.
“I’m proud of the players – we’ve given them a program where they work really hard and they’ve got a system of play,” Lyon said.
“But they get it done. We’re just spectators on game day.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley was disappointed his side couldn’t keep the momentum going after getting in front for the first time in the last quarter.
“We got in front, kicked the first goal of the last quarter then the last 25 minutes was like the first 15”, Buckley said.
Collingwood take on an undefeated Geelong team next weekend while Fremantle travel to Sydney to face the Swans on Saturday night.
Here are the highlights from the game:
FREMANTLE 6.4 9.6 10.7 15.10 (100)
COLLINGWOOD 1.2 3.6 9.8 10.13 (73)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 4, Mayne 2, Ballantyne, Mundy, de Boer, Sutcliffe, Mzungu, Pearce, Silvagni, Hannath, Crozier.
Collingwood: Swan 2, Krakouer 2, Dwyer 2, Sidebottom, Blair, Kennedy, Mooney.
BEST
Fremantle: Ibbotson, Duffield, McPharlin, Walters, Barlow, Mundy, Suban.
Collingwood: Swan, Reid, D Thomas, Sidebottom, Dwyer, J Thomas, Shaw.
INJURIES
Fremantle: Stephen Hill (quad) replaced in selected side by Cameron Sutcliffe, Griffin (knee).
Collingwood: Clarke (hamstring), Mooney (knee).
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Hayden Crozier replaced Jonathon Griffin (knee) in the first quarter.
Collingwood: Caolan Mooney replaced Marty Clarke (hamstring) in the second term.
Reports: TBA
Umpires: Margetts, Mollison, McInerney
Official crowd: 37,214 at Patersons Stadium