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The Dockers led by as many as 34 points at the nine-minute mark of the third quarter \u2014 but from there it was all Adelaide, who hit the front early in the final term and for all money looked destined for the four points. <\/p>\n
The home side edged ahead at the seven-minute mark thanks to Taylor Walker\u2019s trusty right boot, before skipper Jordan Dawson extended their lead to 10 points. <\/p>\n
But the Dockers had an answer, with Shai Bolton and Josh Treacy \u2014 whose dribbling major was mesmerising \u2014 goaling to regain the advantage with a bit over six minutes plus time-on left. <\/p>\n
Fremantle hung on for dear life from there, thwarting several Adelaide forays forward in the waning moments. <\/p>\n
Peatling led the charge in the third quarter with 11 disposals, five clearances and a goal in the term alone. He finished with a game-high nine clearances with 25 possessions. <\/p>\n
Fremantle was led admirably by Caleb Serong, who tallied a game-high 32 disposals with six clearances and six score involvements. <\/p>\n
THE 3-2-1… (with Will Faulkner)<\/p>\n
3. \u2018THOUGHT WE WERE DONE\u2019: SKIPPER\u2019S HEROIC ACT GRACES ADELAIDE OVAL… AGAIN<\/p>\n
It was a tale of two halves at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, It was Fremantle\u2019s to tell before the main break, then Adelaide, and then the Dockers\u2019 valiant skipper with a mic drop that called the game with 18 seconds to play in a Good Friday thriller.<\/p>\n
The Crows were coming hard in the second half, and looked unstoppable at times as they turned a 34-point deficit 10 minutes after halftime, into a 10-point lead in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\n
With the pressure cooker rising as the final siren loomed, the Crows desperately bombarded their attacking 50 with high ball after high ball with little success.<\/p>\n
Then, with their absolute last entry, on-baller James Peatling got a handball receive just inside the arc, and snapped hard with the outside of his boot towards goal for one final roll of the dice.<\/p>\n
Enter, Alex Pearce.<\/p>\n
The star key defender smothered Peatling\u2019s kick before anyone could truly get a read on the kick\u2019s trajectory, and Fremantle subsequently bagged their third-straight win on the trot heading into Gather Round.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Fox Footy on Adelaide Oval post-game, Pearce was ever-humble reflecting on the result.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just so proud of the boys. We played some really good footy for most of that game \u2014 I thought we were on top for most of it \u2014 but obviously in that last quarter they had all the momentum,\u201d Pearce said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we were done. Gee, they\u2019re a good side, Adelaide. To come back like they did \u2026 They played really well tonight.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve spoken a lot about trying to stand up and being calm when the pressure and momentum\u2019s against us. I\u2019m just so proud of the guys for the way they handled themselves out there, and the way we were still able to play our way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley added on the final siren.\u201cHe\u2019s such a great leader. Clearly, Fremantle love him. He\u2019s done an amazing job again to save that game, because that could\u2019ve been a goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not the first time Pearce\u2019s heroics have graced Adelaide Oval, after his match-winning goal in Round 22, 2024 saw his side home over Port Adelaide with a clutch set shot.<\/p>\n
Beyond the visiting captain, Justin Longmuir\u2019s side was all over the Crows like a rash from the get-go, with a one-goal lead at quarter time hardly telling of their dominance at clearance and efficiency by foot.<\/p>\n
A four-to-one goal second stanza was a much more accurate depiction of proceedings, with not many more making the most of their dominance than Jye Amiss.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old key forward reaped the rewards of the hosts\u2019 depleted defence, kicking three first-half goals to throw Adelaide to the sword.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey look the better side, don\u2019t they? They\u2019re not fumbling, they\u2019re using the ball well when they get it in stoppage,\u201d Adelaide legend Mark Ricciuto said of the Dockers at half time. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew that they had the firepower up forward, and Adelaide are a little undermanned down back \u2026 they\u2019ve been too classy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll night, they\u2019ve been far too good around stoppage \u2014 and that\u2019s what the difference is. <\/p>\n
\u201cToo clean, too strong, too good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hinkley added: \u201cThey\u2019ve got elite hands around the ball. Brayshaw, Sarong, Erasmus, Johnson \u2014 the group\u2019s getting bigger I reckon. Shai Bolton\u2019s coming in too \u2026 that\u2019s dangerous for Crows defenders.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. VALIANT CROWS\u2019 EPIC COMEBACK GOES IN VAIN\u2026 AND SURPRISE \u2018FIND\u2019 WHO KEEPS ON GROWING<\/p>\n
Adelaide looked down-and-out at the 10-minute mark of the third quarter, trailing a potent Fremantle outfit by 34 points. But as they\u2019ve so often done in recent years, they\u2019ve come from behind in the blink of an eye to get back to net neutral.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for them on Good Friday, it wasn\u2019t to be as the visitors clutched up late despite being overwhelmed with inside 50 entries late.<\/p>\n
If Crows coach Matthew Nicks was to take a positive out of the night though, it was that his side \u2014 despite a lacklustre start \u2014 were able to match it with one of this year\u2019s genuine contenders without notable starpower.<\/p>\n
Amid their second half comeback, it wasn\u2019t the usual suspects in Riley Thilthorpe and Izak Rankine who dragged the Crows back into the green.<\/p>\n
Instead, it was the likes of six-gamer Lachie McAndrew who played his heart out to help combat the lethal dual ruck duo of Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy all night.<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old 210cm giant only had eight disposals, but collected a whopping 13 tackles, 31 hitouts and two contested marks in another huge game.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a find, isn\u2019t he? He\u2019s a great player who\u2019s been so good this year,\u201d Ken Hinkley said after a McAndrew intercept mark early in the last quarter.<\/p>\n
Former Giant James Peatling went ballistic after half time to find the ball 11 times in the third term, complemented by five clearances and a goal.<\/p>\n
The home side had to do it tough without Darcy Fogarty (back) and Isaac Cumming (illness) withdrawing just an hour before the start of the match, temporarily joining the likes of Jordan Butts (concussion), Dan Curtin (knee) and Mark Keane (leg) on the sidelines.<\/p>\n
Thilthorpe also came into the match under an injury cloud, and was well-held by Pearce for the entire first half \u2014 failing to take a mark before half time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been better than zero marks, but he\u2019s got a good player on him,\u201d Adelaide legend Mark Ricciuto said to Fox Footy at half time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was with Fogarty and went off the training track early (on Thursday). I don\u2019t know how bad his back was, and I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s playing under duress.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks to be moving fine, he\u2019s just up against a good defender. He\u2019s not getting great ball movement so far (either); all his opportunities have been long kicks down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow superstar Izak Rankine was quiet most of the night too, and was wayward in front of goal to finish with 14 disposals and three behinds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat tells you the tale of his season, doesn\u2019t it?\u201d Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell said after one of his misses on goal.<\/p>\n
Ken Hinkley added: \u201cYou sort of wait for him to have those moments \u2026 they need him to start hitting his straps, big time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Crows finished the night with 10 different goalscorers from their 11 total majors.<\/p>\n
1. \u2018NO WORLD THAT\u2019S ACCEPTABLE\u2019: CROW\u2019S KEY EARLY MOMENT TO FORGET<\/p>\n
Ben Keays is well-regarded as one of Adelaide\u2019s most selfless men at West Lakes, having long played the thankless high half-forward role in recent years.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately for the 29-year-old though, there was a moment very close to goal before half time that saw the Crows miss out on a likely goal. <\/p>\n
Teammate Riley Thilthorpe tackled Fremantle skipper Alex Pearce holding-the-ball just metres from goal not long before half time, and while the set shot would\u2019ve been on a sharp angle, most would\u2019ve expected the Crows star to kick truly.<\/p>\n
Keays excitedly played on to activate an \u2018advantage\u2019 call from the in-zone umpire, only to shank a snap on his preferred side short of goal \u2014 failing to register a score.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just look at that, and say: \u2018I know he\u2019s not a selfish player \u2014 he\u2019s a great team player \u2014 but he was feeling the pressure of not touching the footy,\u201d former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley told Fox Footy at half time.<\/p>\n
Adelaide legend Mark Ricciuto added: \u201cThere\u2019s no world where that\u2019s acceptable to go and do that, unfortunately for Keaysy. But, he\u2019s got plenty of credits in the bank, and he\u2019s got a second half to change it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keays\u2019 kick in the play was his only for the half, with his only other stat a tackle by the main break. <\/p>\n