An undermanned Fremantle overcame a false start and an evening of injury carnage to defeat Brisbane by 23 points at Optus Stadium, leaving last year’s Grand Finalist with a 0-2 record heading into an Easter Thursday rematch with winless powerhouse Collingwood.
The Dockers were brilliant in the middle stages of Sunday’s win, scoring eight unanswered goals to secure a 14.9 (93) to 10.10 (70) victory, with star midfielder Caleb Serong creating a new club record with 46 disposals in an amazing individual effort.
Three second-half injuries lost the club an early-season win, with defenders Brennan Cox (hamstring), Oscar McDonald (knee), and Karl Worner (concussion) all out, but teenage forward Jye Amiss avoided a knee injury.
The Dockers’ triumph was otherwise full of hopeful signals, as a bigger and stronger midfield had the intended impact against a contender, and decisive ball movement paid dividends.
More than anything, the Dockers were tenacious and determined when they didn’t have the ball, and their continual pressure efforts and willingness to do one-percenters for one another paid off.
Serong was the architect around the ball, with 46 touches (21 contested) and 10 clearances, while Nat Fyfe (20 and five) and Hayden Young (24 and five) provided the size around the ball the Dockers needed, while Andrew Brayshaw (32 and six) began the year in fine form.
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