This was published 4 years ago
Buti's Call: Fremantle's season hangs in the balance as Glory awaits Perth
By Tony Buti
Last Friday night at HBF Park, the team in purple, Perth Glory, were triumphant in an A-League semi-final for the ages, beating Adelaide United 5-4 in a penalty shootout.
The Glory now plays Sydney FC in the A-League grand final at Optus Stadium this coming Sunday afternoon.
Perth Glory made it to the A-League grand final after a thrilling semi-final.Credit: ninevms
All supporters will dearly be hoping their purple team has a better result than the last purple team to play at Optus after the Dockers went down to an injury-depleted Richmond outfit to the tune of 25 points on Sunday.
What are we to make of the Dockers’ season so far? Fremantle were active in last year’s trade period. While Lachie Neale, a dual best and fairest, departed for Brisbane, the club did pick up much needed marking power in Jesse Hogan from Melbourne and Rory Lobb from Greater Western Sydney.
This did mean the club moved from pick five to 14 in the draft but gained a valuable second-round selection. And Fremantle were able to add, for very little cost, experienced midfield depth in Richmond’s Reece Conca and Essendon’s Travis Colyer.
All in all, a successful trade period, raising the spirits and expectations of many Fremantle supporters for season 2019.
Friendly fire: Docker Luke Ryan gets a kick away as David Mundy takes evasive action.Credit: AAP
The AFL home and away season is now one-third complete and the Dockers have won 50 per cent of their games, clinging to eighth position on the table.
Considering the calibre of the teams Fremantle has played against in the first eight rounds, arguably they are one win short of where they should be.
In the first three games of the season, the Dockers faced three non-finals teams from season 2018. An impressive first up win against North Melbourne at home and a solid third-round home win against St Kilda, who had won their first two games of the season, was good.
But the second-round loss to Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium was significant and could possibly have major ramifications at season’s end.
The Suns came from behind in the last quarter to snatch victory by three points. But to be fair they probably should have won by more, being wasteful in front of goal, including eight behinds in the third quarter.
In round four, an away Western Derby against the reigning premiers, the Dockers never really looked like winning although they cut a 31-point deficit early in the third term to just 10 points. In the end the Dockers lost by 13 points but it was a gutsy effort, with veteran David Mundy playing a blinder in the absence of Brownlow medallist and captain Nat Fyfe.
In the next two rounds, the hopes and expectations of the Dockers were raised with consecutive wins against the Giants at Manuka Oval and the Western Bulldogs at home in the annual Anzac Len Hall game, which also was a wonderful night to celebrate loyal club servant Mundy’s 300th game.
The round five win away against the Giants was particularly impressive as they were coming off an away win against the in-form Geelong down at Kardinia Park (also known as GMHBA Stadium) and had won their last seven games in the nation’s capital.
Fyfe returning from a week’s absence due to concussion was brilliant and much maligned tall forward Matt Taberner was dominate up forward in winning the contested ball but wayward in his kicking for goal. And as the game went on, Lobb, playing against his former side, wore down man mountain Shane Mumford in the ruck.
West Coast reminded Fremantle who is the king in the west.Credit: AAP
Going into round seven against the Crows in Adelaide, Fremantle were sitting in second place on the table. But the Adelaide Oval has not been a good hunting ground for the Dockers, losing six out of their last seven games there against the Crows and their crosstown rivals Port Adelaide.
The game against the Crows was ugly. The Crows after a poor start to the season with one victory from their opening four matches had won their last two games going into the clash against the Dockers. At the end of half time, the Dockers had kicked two goals to Adelaide’s one, which was only two goals more than in the first half of Glory's semi-final win!
At the end of the game, which the Crows won by 17 points, only 12 goals were kicked between the teams (seven for the home team and five for the Dockers).
David Mundy celebrated his 300th game in round 5.Credit: AAP
We then come to last Sunday afternoon at Optus Stadium.
If there was ever a game the Tigers were ripe for the picking by a Docker’s outfit who had played well at home this season, it was this one.
The Tigers, hard hit by injury going into the match, then lost Toby Nankervis and Jack Ross to game-ending injuries in the first half but Damien Hardwick’s charges were still able to take the four points.
So the season is now one-third done and dusted and the Dockers, who have not played finals since 2015, remain in the eight only on percentage, having the same number of wins (4) as Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide and St Kilda.
The fact the Dockers have the fifth best percentage of all teams after eight rounds, only surpassed by the teams sitting in the top four (Geelong, Collingwood, Adelaide and GWS) is itself a positive.
The Dockers season lays in the balance.Credit: AAP
Unlike the previous three seasons, the Dockers are not losing games by big margins and commenced the season with a percentage booster against the Kangaroos, winning by a thumping 82 points.
Other positives for the Dockers this season have been the defensive work of the back six and in particular the performances of Alex Pearce and Joel Hamling, who are in career best form.
Mundy, Fyfe and Walters have been playing at their best and Taberner has made massive leaps this year although he is still a work in progress. Lobb has done some excellent work in the ruck although his best position is probably up forward but that is unlikely to happen unless Aaron Sandilands returns after the mid-season break or the selection panel brings back Sean Darcy.
Young guns Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra continue to impress and small forward Brandon Matera has had some very good moments.
The Dockers' season lays in the balance.
The next three weeks before the club's bye could possibly be season defining games. None are easy – Essendon and Collingwood away punctuated by a home game against Lachie Neale’s Brisbane.
It is crucial the Dockers win at least two of the next three. Working on the assumption that 13 wins are needed to make the final eight, the Dockers need nine more wins. If they can win two out of the next three, they will need to win seven out of their last 11 games, which is difficult but achievable.
But if they win only one of the next three they will need to win eight out of their last 11 home and away games.
To achieve that they may need someone to perform similar heroics to what Perth Glory goal keeper Liam Reddy did in the semi-final penalty shootout against Adelaide United, where he not only saved four penalties but converted one himself.
The purple army behind the goals and around the stadium went wild.
Hopefully a sea of purple will turn up for the final against Sydney at Optus this coming Sunday to taste A-League final success. Whether the other purple army will see their team play finals football in 2019 remains to be seen.