RECAP: Fremantle Dockers fall to Hawthorn in qualifying final at Optus Stadium
Fremantle has been condemned to having to go the long way to a grand final after being stunned by the Hawks at Optus Stadium. Recap all the action from our blog!
AFL: Fremantle has been condemned to having to go the long way to a grand final after being stunned by the Hawks at Optus Stadium.
Justin Longmuir pulled a selection shock in the lead in, naming Brandon Walker, who had made just three AFL appearances in two seasons, to combat Nick Watson.
And while it worked for three quarters, Walker ended up injured.
Walker joined Murphy Reid, Jye Amiss, Heath Chapman and Sam Switkowski as ins for Fremantle while Jack Ginnivan’s return was the only change at Hawthorn.
But in the end, it all came down to another slow finals start.
Recap all the action from our blog!
Key events
03 Sep 2026 - 08:59 PM
MATCH REPORT
03 Sep 2026 - 08:40 PM
THREE-WORD ANALYSIS
03 Sep 2026 - 08:37 PM
FT: Fremantle 40, Hawthorn 72
03 Sep 2026 - 08:09 PM
Walker out
03 Sep 2026 - 08:03 PM
3QT: Fremantle 31, Hawthorn 64
03 Sep 2026 - 07:14 PM
HT: Fremantle 10, Hawthorn 43
03 Sep 2026 - 06:41 PM
QT: Fremantle 9, Hawthorn 28
03 Sep 2026 - 06:14 PM
On the board!
03 Sep 2026 - 05:06 PM
Heavens open
03 Sep 2026 - 04:14 PM
Traffic warning
03 Sep 2026 - 04:10 PM
The one everyone’s talking about
Moore please!
The Hawks forward pressure is insane.
They have laid nine forward half tackles to the Dockers four and are winning holding the ball free kicks.
Dylan Moore has grabbed himself a goal as reward for tackling effort.
Chol adds one of his own after a strong series of tackles locked the ball in.
FRE 9, HAW 20
Forward first
The Dockers are taking every chance to go forward so far.
They have liked to feed handballs back to kickers at times this year but they are going forward at all costs tonight.
It has already seen them open the Hawks up with a few bursting runs unlocking a handball chain.
They just need to convert the chances into majors.
FRE 8, HAW 6
WOW
Has not taken the Wizard long to impact.
He comes from nowhere after the ball spilled to ground in his forward 50 and just puts his boot through it off the ground for a goal.
FRE 6, HAW 6
On the board!
Walker got an early touch and saw his career flash before his eyes after his kick missed the mark by miles and found the only Hawk nearby.
However, their was a fumble and his teammates saved him.
Serong got the ball on to Johnson who found Jackson for a foward 50 mark.
The Unicorn slots the set shot with ease.
FRE 6, HAW 0
Underway!
The first tap is a draw and no one is escaping the circle early with some huge tackles laid.
Jackson wins a holding the ball free kick and pumps the Dockers forward but Voss’ mark is spoiled and another huge tackle is laid.
FRE 0, HAW 0
Eight minutes!
Both teams are on the ground.
We just have the Welcome to Country and then the anthem before we get the finals series proper underway!
Any purple fans nervous yet?
Big boos
The Hawks were given a Fremantle welcome as they ran through the banner with plenty of boos.
Milestone men
Jordan Clark hits his 250th AFL game tonight.
He has not missed one since moving across to Fremantle from Geelong and a qualifying final win would be quite the way to celebrate it.
Pat Voss also plays game No.50 tonight and is a good chance of a bag.
“Good Laugh”
The wizard Nick Watson has given his reaction to the back page of today’s The West Australian.
“Itching”
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir says he has been itching to bring Brandon Walker back into the senior team.
He said Walker had “by far” been their best player at WAFL level despite a raft of injuries, including two concussions.
Longmuir also confirmed he’d play on Nick Watson.
“We lacked a bit of speed in our backline. He has been really unlucky with injury,” he said pre-game.
“He was in the team for round 1, he had a couple of concussions at WAFL level and then hurt his shoulder in the WAFL. We have been itching to get him back in.
“It’s a bit of a leap of faith but his form at WAFL level has been well above. We feel like he’s ready to go.”
Time will tell tonight if the call was the right one.
Originally published on The West Australian
