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\u201cIf you haven\u2019t got a ruckman that can compete with Luke Jackson in this sort of form, you ain\u2019t winning it in 2026,\u201d Kangaroos great David King said on Fox Footy post-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis guy\u2019s impact on football has been frightening.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s taken a little while to get there for him personally. But once he\u2019s arrived, he\u2019s taken his game to the absolute stratosphere.\u201d <\/p>\n
Trailing by 28 points earlier in the night, the Dockers shook off a slow start and stormed back into Thursday night\u2019s Optus Stadium contest with eight goals to the Cats\u2019 five in the second half.<\/p>\n
It extended the 13-1 Freo\u2019s lead at the top of the ladder on a night the club celebrated skipper Alex Pearce\u2019s 150th game milestone in style including an epic Shai Bolton Mark of the Year contender.<\/p>\n
A lower leg injury scare to Freo star Hayden Young threatened to be a dampener on the result. But Young, who\u2019s struggled with repeated setbacks this season, returned later in the game in a major sigh of relief.<\/p>\n
And so the Dockers’ Round 1 loss to Geelong remains their only defeat this season. <\/p>\n
The third-placed Cats fell to 9-6 overall.<\/p>\n
The 3-2-1 (via Catherine Healey)…<\/p>\n
3. \u2018NOT PAYING HIM ENOUGH!\u2019 JACKSON EXPLODES IN MASTERCLASS<\/p>\n
Tom Hawkins called it pre-game: \u201cThe old unicorn vs the new unicorn\u201d.<\/p>\n
And while we didn\u2019t get the direct Mark Blicavs vs Luke Jackson match up, it was the \u201cnew unicorn\u201d Jackson who delivered a masterclass.<\/p>\n
He created Fremantle history to become the first Dockers ruckman to rack up 28 disposals (15 contested), nine tackles, 25 hit-outs, three goals and nine score involvements<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care what they\u2019re paying Luke Jackson\u2026 it\u2019s not enough,\u201d David King said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s destroying this game.\u201d<\/p>\n
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 18: Luke Jackson of the Dockers celebrates a goal during the round 15 AFL match between Fremantle Dockers and Geelong Cats at Optus Stadium, on June 18, 2026, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
Hawkins agreed with that assessment.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just has so many different avenues to try and effect the game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think it\u2019s such a modern way of playing football. If you can stay involved in the game by adding different avenues, he can clear the ball himself, he wins the hitouts to advantage, he gets after the football \u2013 it must be such a luxury for Freo to have at their disposal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t help but think five years ago when he came across to the Freo Football Club, a lot of the footy world talked about the price tag and is he worth the money?<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely he\u2019s worth the money.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing him here in the flesh, he is one of the stars of the competition.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stats show Jackson is having a career-best year for disposals, contested possessions, clearances and score involvements \u2013 leaving him the number three ranked ruckman in the AFL behind Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a smart player. He\u2019s mercurial at times, he\u2019s the unicorn right?\u201d Will Schofield said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019ve been impressed with is his work rate. His work from contest to contest, he\u2019s effectively playing on two or three ruckmen tonight and he\u2019s been able to outwork a lot of them.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe runs, and he takes it on.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat he does, it\u2019s unique. You don\u2019t see many players doing what he does.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. CATS CASH IN \u2026 BUT CAN\u2019T SUSTAIN IT AS CAMERON QUESTIONS LINGER<\/p>\n
Fremantle were their own worst enemy in the first half at Optus Stadium \u2013 and Geelong made them pay dearly.<\/p>\n
The Cats kicked back to back goals from smothering Freo\u2019s handball in the centre of the ground, and managed five goals from just eight inside 50s against what David King described as \u201can impenetrable Fremantle defence\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve seen a team punish turnover like we\u2019re seeing tonight,\u201d he praised.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeelong are just pure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Cats are onto them \u2013 they are stalking their handball game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese loopy handballs from Fremantle are getting them into trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a bit of their DNA. We see it so often at GMHBA\u2026 when they can win that midfield turnover battle, they zone and they come forward\u2026 they are highly efficient and they are hard to stop,\u201d Leigh Montagna added.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it was coming forward by hand to get that little deflection in a couple of times, it gave them really good looks. You catch a Fremantle defence that\u2019s out of position. And you\u2019re able to capitalise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hawthorn great Jason Dunstall said Fremantle had \u201cno one to blame but themselves\u201d for the turnovers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey didn\u2019t take enough care with it\u2026 then when they turned it over they got hurt the other way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Geelong came up short on Thursday night (Photo by Janelle St Pierre\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
Not helping Freo\u2019s cause was their woeful accuracy in front of goal \u2013 where 10 straight shots ended in nine behinds and one that didn\u2019t even score.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe number of shots that they\u2019ve had, seriously Jye Amiss couldn\u2019t have deliberately kicked the ball any worse!\u201d Dunstall lamented.<\/p>\n
\u201cHasn\u2019t looked like it!<\/p>\n
\u201c(Josh) Treacy, until he kicked his last one, was having a horror. But it spread right throughout the whole team.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey just kept missing easy shots for goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt becomes contagious after a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
But once Fremantle got the radar working, it was Geelong who couldn\u2019t contain the Dockers \u2013 as they scored 10 of the next 12 goals.<\/p>\n
It was during that patch that serious questions were asked of Geelong star Jeremy Cameron who was struggling to have an impact.<\/p>\n
A big contest from Pat Voss left Cameron on the Optus Stadium turf, clearly protecting the arm he broke in last year\u2019s grand final.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the moment, Cameron does not look like he wants to fly at all,\u201d Jack Riewoldt said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks very sore,\u201d Mark Howard said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not right Jeremy,\u201d King added.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s out there and you judge them as a healthy player when they cross that white line.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s been deep forward for most of the night \u2013 unsighted.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks incredibly reluctant to put himself in harm\u2019s way right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron\u2019s night finished with the equal lowest disposals of just six despite spending 93% of time on ground \u2013 but did kick two goals.<\/p>\n
1. \u2018AIR BOLTON\u2019 HANGER SETS SIGHTS ON AFL HISTORY<\/p>\n
No player has ever won the AFL\u2019s Mark of the Year twice this century.<\/p>\n
But on Thursday night Docker Shai Bolton took a big leap at creating history.<\/p>\n
Bolton, the Mark of the Year winner in 2021, put forward a near-identical effort against the Cats, climbing up onto Jake Kolodjashnij and teammate Pat Voss in the second term.<\/p>\n
\u201cWelcome to Air Bolton!\u201d Matt Hill said on Fox Footy\u2019s commentary.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour emergency exits are here and here! What a mark!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s an unbelievable mark!\u201d dual premiership Roo David King said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHave a look at this!\u201d Jack Riewoldt added.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s standing on his head and just the one duke! Thank you very much!<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s won mark of the year before and I reckon that\u2019s the clubhouse leader in 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat a grab.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason Dunstall described Bolton\u2019s efforts as \u201cextraordinary\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe climbed on top of the pack, put his boot int the face of teammate Patty Voss \u2013 that was spectacular!\u201d he praised.<\/p>\n
Bolton already has a Mark of the Year contender from Round 11 this season.<\/p>\n
Re-live Fremantle vs Geelong in our live blog below!<\/p>\n