AFL live updates: Fremantle Dockers host Hawthorn Hawks in Thursday night blockbuster
The two hottest teams in the competition will meet as Fremantle host Hawthorn in what could be an early finals preview. Follow all the action live!
AFL: The two hottest teams in the competition will meet as Fremantle host Hawthorn in what could be an early finals preview.
The Dockers haven’t lost to Hawthorn at home since the 2015 preliminary final and are on a hot-streak of seven straight wins.
The Hawks are unbeaten in their last seven, coming off a draw with Collingwood in what will be the biggest test yet of Fremantle’s premiership credentials.
Follow all the action live!
Jake Santa Maria is reporting live.
Gunston gets his first
The Hawks finally win a centre clearance at Gunston uses all his footy smarts to take his defender deep and then double back on him.
His kick is true, and we’ve had four goals in the first five minutes!
Fast Freddy bursts through
Karl Worner forces the turnover at half back goes quick to Young to Clark who goes to Bolton.
He shrugs off the tackle to get it to Frederick on the outside who runs in and launches from 50m and it bounces through.
Great goal.
Freo dominating out of the middle
Three straight centre clearance win as Murphy Reid is lightning quick to get the ball on the boot to hit Treacy who’s on the lead from Barrass.
His kick misses left but it’s an early concern for the Hawks who are yet to win a clearance.
Voss responds
Centre clearance win and Voss on the lead takes the mark though might be fortunate as he appeared to spill it light.
From 50 he boots it through and lets off an early celebration.
Watson lets rip!
Ginnivan with a kick inside 50 goes to ground, as Weddle handballs out to Watson running into the pocket and he snaps on the right to send it through from an acute angle.
Here we go
Fremantle with an early clearance win as Pat Voss is getting stuck right into Sicily even before the ball is bounced.
Switta swoops on the loose ball and snaps but can’t bend it around enough as it’s a behind.
Hawthorn in the white strip tonight
Sam Mitchell talks through his selections
“He’s a real goer he has a lot of running power and is really composed with the ball, just a real lockdown player when you need him,” he says.
“We brought in the third ruck as we’re a bit worry about Jackson and Cox.
“I think the Dockers have potency on every line; they’re not easily exploitable so we’re going to need to play a full 120 minutes.”
Longmuir says Hawks will give them a good audit
“Obviously, Hawthorn are in a rich vein of form and solid all over the ground so we’ll get a good audit of where we’re at,” he says on Fox.
“We like to think we can challenge teams in different phases of the game.
“Bolton’s just come a lot more consistent this year, he’s got a high ceiling and he’s just been able to reach it more consistently.
“We’ll try to get Vossy to Sicily to limit his aerial work, but if we have to make sure we have to get it to ground and compete.”
Josh Battle shares his thoughts
“I’m feeling good they’re a very good outfit and playing some really good footy so it’s going to be a huge test for us,” he says.
“Barrass and I are coming together, building that synergy; we’re getting to know each other really well.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us. Barrass will probably take the deepest, and I’ll take the next one.”
