Dockers hold off fast-finishing Crows in AFL thriller | Illawarra Mercury

Fremantle have clung on to beat Adelaide, with Jye Amiss kicking four goals. Photo: Michael Errey/AAP PHOTOS

Forward Jye Amiss has kicked four goals to help Fremantle hold off a fast-finishing Adelaide for a precious two-point away victory.

Freo (2-1) remained third with their gutsy 11.12 (78) to 11.10 (76) triumph at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

After being 34 points up in the third term, the Dockers were given an almighty scare, with Adelaide stealing a seven-point lead midway through the final quarter.

But late strikes from Shai Bolton and a stunning dribbled goal from Josh Treacy lifted Freo to victory – though Adelaide’s James Borlase, in the last minute, hit a goal post with a kick that would have pinched a win.

Caleb Serong shone for the Dockers in a thriller, with 32 disposals. (Michael Errey/AAP PHOTOS)

“We probably held on through desperation late,” Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said.

“But once we coughed up the lead, I thought we handled that period of the game really well.”

Freo midfielders Caleb Serong (32 disposals, six inside 50s), Murphy Reid (26 touches) and Angus Brayshaw (25, one goal, seven inside 50s) were stand-outs.

Amiss feasted in attack alongside Patrick Voss (two goals) and Treacy (two goals) while Judd McVee (22 touches) and Neil Erasmus (21) were busy.

Adelaide defenders Wayne Milera (27 possessions) and Josh Worrell (23, seven marks) were superb and on-baller James Peatling collected 25 touches, nine clearances and a goal.

But captain Jordan Dawson (two majors) was the only multiple goalscorer for the Crows, who slipped to a third loss from four games.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks admitted anger at his club now hitting the front late in three games – against the Western Bulldogs, Geelong and now Fremantle – but losing all three.

“It was almost deja vu, wasn’t it – three weeks now,” Nicks said.

“What we’re pretty clear on is, we can’t allow our oppo to have the game on their terms like we’re allowing in the first half.”

Two Crows – forward Darcy Fogarty (back) and winger Isaac Cumming (illness) – were late withdrawals, replaced by Finnbar Maley and Chayce Jones.

Maley kicked the first goal of the game with a checkside effort from the boundary but the Dockers soon gained the ascendancy.

Freo, with 12 clearances to four and almost 40 more disposals than the Crows, controlled the first quarter but couldn’t quite cash in on the scoreboard, kicking 4.3 to 3.3.

The Dockers stretched their lead to 26 points with three goals, including Amiss’s third, in a five-minute burst.

Fremantle held a 25-point advantage at halftime when Adelaide had 14 players with five or fewer disposals.

The Dockers jumped 34 points clear – a match-high margin – when Amiss slotted his fourth major 10 minutes into the third quarter.

But the Crows rallied in dramatic fashion with five consecutive majors to no score. When Peatling goaled on the run, they were only four points down.

Freo held that slight buffer at three quarter-time, 9.9 to 9.5, before Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker put the hosts in front with a set shot.

Skipper Dawson soon followed with an accurate snap and the Crows were seven points ahead.

But they couldn’t close the deal.

Freo’s Bolton restored the visitors’ lead, before Treacy threaded a dribbling goal from a tight angle.

Adelaide’s Ben Keays, Maley and Borlase had last-gasp shots at goal – but all missed.

Australian Associated Press

Dockers hold off fast-finishing Crows in AFL thriller | Illawarra Mercury

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