Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\nThe Dockers kicked nine goals to Sydney\u2019s three \u2014 including seven in a row to the hosts \u2014 in the final stanza to run away with a 15.21 (111) to 10.13 (73) win.<\/p>\n
It marked the highest ever score from a team that was goalless at the main break in a domination that should strike serious fear into the rest of the competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe belief, character and resilience this group now has, I don\u2019t think they fear any situation,\u201d Saints great Leigh Montagna said post-match.
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen them do this a number of times this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was one of the most powerful second halves of footy we\u2019ve seen in a long, long time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe belief in this group is only going to continue to grow.\u201d <\/p>\n
Gun Fremantle duo Murphy Reid and Caleb Serong dominated through the midfield with 28 disposals apiece, while marquee forwards Josh Treacy (four goals) and Charlie Curnow (five) starred at either end of the ground.<\/p>\n
Five days after the Dockers had their club record 14-game winning streak snapped by GWS, Freo improved to 15-2 to consolidate top spot on the ladder, while Sydney dropped to 13-4.<\/p>\n
The 3-2-1 …<\/p>\n
3. CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS LIFTS FREO TO INCREDIBLE COMEBACK<\/p>\n
Fremantle were nowhere in a first half horror show.<\/p>\n
They were goalless at half time for the first time since 2009 \u2013 excluding the shortened 2020 season, and looked panicked as the Swans ran riot.<\/p>\n
Yet despite scoring just 0.11 they went into the main break down by only 22 points \u2013 and that was thanks to their skipper Alex Pearce.<\/p>\n
The captain may have only had five touches to half time, but they were all to deny the Swans.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlex Pearce has had one of the best 5 disposals games I have ever seen,\u201d two-time premiership winner David King said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has been unbelievable with his intercept work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Premiership Eagle Will Schofield described Pearce as a \u201cone-man wall\u201d at a time when the side was under siege.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s had five disposals \u2013 every one of them an intercept,\u201d he said at half time.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s the third ranked player on the ground right now, Alex Pearce.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s had seven spoils \u2013 without him this game\u2019s probably gone.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was beaten well last well \u2013 had six of the seven goals kicked on him from Jake Stringer. He\u2019s been outstanding (against Sydney).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the captain in a game where his team hasn\u2019t been able to stand up. 11 behinds in a row.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he\u2019s the man \u2026 He\u2019s been able to intercept all day.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dockers found their fight in the third term \u2013 kicking their first goal of the night less than a minute into the quarter.<\/p>\n
And they managed six goals to just three to bring themselves within two points at the final change.<\/p>\n
When the match went on the line in the final term, it was Pearce once again who put his body on the line \u2013 diving across in front of Joel Hamling and Brennan Cox in a one-on-one.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat mark from Alex Pearce – it sets the tone for this group,\u201d King praised.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they go on and win it \u2013 it\u2019ll be because of their captain.\u201d<\/p>\n
And when the match became a \u201cmauling\u201d in the final term, Pearce\u2019s work was done.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is so exciting for Fremantle,\u201d King added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s as good as they\u2019ve looked.<\/p>\n
\u201cSaw the challenge, stared it down \u2013 huge response at half time. They\u2019ve won the second half by 10 goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. \u2018DUMB\u2019 TAUNTS PROVE COSTLY<\/p>\n
AFL greats may hate the rule, but the fact two players coughed up shots on goal for taunting on Thursday night left Fox Footy\u2019s experts bemused.<\/p>\n
The first was Docker Luke Ryan who, after being caught cold by Chad Warner, opted to rub the Swan\u2019s head when his set shot snap fell short on the goal line.<\/p>\n
As a result, the free kick was paid where the footy was \u2013 on the goal line gifting Chrlie Curnow the easiest of goals.<\/p>\n
And while the free kick divided opinion, Swan Dane Rampe didn\u2019t learn the lesson when in the third term he opted to smack the head of opponent Jye Amiss after the Docker gave up the push in the back free kick.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019ll agree we don\u2019t like it \u2013 but there\u2019s been enough warnings out there through the AFL about letting players know that we won\u2019t tolerate those sorts of taunting,\u201d Lions great Michael Voss said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd specifically rubbing someone\u2019s head.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo silly. Very, very silly.\u201d<\/p>\n
AFL great Jason Dunstall labelled the move \u201cdumb\u201d \u2013 repeatedly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt cost them (Fremantle) a goal because he was dumb,\u201d he lamented.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether you agree with the rule or not, it\u2019s the rule! They said don\u2019t pat people\u2019s heads!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo pat him on the bum instead?\u201d Leigh Montagna questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnywhere else! Don\u2019t pat his head! Dumb,\u201d Dunstall replied.<\/p>\n
Dual premiership Roo David King was clearly unhappy with the ruling \u2013 given the price paid.<\/p>\n
\u201cWow! We have not seen that \u2013 taunting\u2026 the rubbing of the head, taunting really? Should it come at this cost?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat can\u2019t possibly be costing us goals at this level.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne v two -everything to play for.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s ridiculous,\u201d he later added.<\/p>\n
But Jack Riewoldt defended the ruling, stating players were clearly warned.<\/p>\n
\u201cLuke Ryan has only got Pat Voss to thank for it \u2013 that\u2019s why the rule was brought in because he made a clown of himself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big price to pay but the rule is there and it\u2019s a free kick.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t touch a player on top of the head like that!<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you can go it\u2019s an easy free kick or a silly free kick \u2013 players know better.\u201d<\/p>\n
1. WARNER MASTERCLASS DESPITE COACH\u2019S PRE-GAME WARNING<\/p>\n
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir knew he had to be wary of Swan Chad Warner on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
But still it was the superstar West Aussie who tore the game apart.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve gone to (Isaac) Heeney in the past and Chad\u2019s got three Brownlow votes against us\u2026 we\u2019ve got plans for both,\u201d he told Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
Warner gave the Freo faithful a real show with a devastating opening half where he was involved in everything.<\/p>\n
Ranked number one for damage from ball use since Round 12 and third for score involvements, Warner continued his ripping form.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it be with ball in hand or shutting down the opposition\u2026 his ability to tackle, to charge\u2026 Drops the hammer, fastest naught to 100 in the game and you just can\u2019t go with him,\u201d dual premiership Roo David King praised.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no one out there tonight from a Fremantle point of view that can do the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe should have kicked two goals but so some reason he\u2019s pulled the wrong club both times.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a surprise either \u2013 you knew coming into the game Chad Warner is the man to rip it away from them and he has,\u201d Will Schofield added.<\/p>\n
King praised the way Warner played with \u201call power\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis main damage is with his ball use \u2013 he\u2019s been ridiculous,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants the confrontation, he wants to embarrass players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s first half pressure was devastating as they forced Fremantle into error after error.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarder at the footy\u2026 they brought in the first term and I don\u2019t think Freo have handled it,\u201d King said of the Swans.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot sure I\u2019ve seen the Swans bring as much pressure as this.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you subject the opposition to this sort of intensity, it\u2019s hard to function.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir switch from defence to offence Sydney is catching Freo off guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cOff half back then gone as soon as they win possession \u2013 and it\u2019s always Warner.\u201d<\/p>\n
And while it was elite pressure in the first half, Dean Cox\u2019s men couldn\u2019t keep it up in the second half as the Dockers mounted a fightback that brought the crowd into full voice.<\/p>\n
Fremantle kicked 15 of the last 21 goals to take a comprehensive win.<\/p>\n
Warner finished his night with 23 disposals, eight score involvements, six tackles, five clearances and 680m gained.<\/p>\n
Re-live Fremantle vs Sydney in our live blog below! If you can\u2019t see the blog, tap here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fremantle has used a stunning 15-goal half to bury Sydney by 38 points in an epic flag statement…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":789916,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,85],"class_list":["post-789915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/789915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=789915"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/789915\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/789916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=789915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=789915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=789915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
<\/p>\n