Fremantle Dockers suffer controversial defeat after late mark and dissent free kick against Carlton

Fremantle’s unbeaten run has come to a heartbreaking end with Carlton kicking the match-winner with less than a minute to go in controversial scenes at Adelaide Oval.

The Dockers will be left to rue a late dissent free kick that denied them any chance of pinching a Gather Round victory after complaining the Matt Cottrell mark that resulted in the goal was touched.

Fremantle led the Blues for all but 13 minutes of the game, eventually going down by 10 points, 10.13 (83) to 9.9 (73).

A controversial umpiring call will be hotly debated after the Dockers claimed to have touched the ball off George Hewett’s foot before Cottrell took the mark that put the Blues in front with 40 seconds remaining.

The decision to pay the mark drew backlash from Freo players including Jordan Clark and James Aish, but it wasn’t enough to change the umpires’ decision before the final dagger came.

The umpires blew the whistle again after Cottrell’s major to reward Carlton with another free kick in front of goal, with Matt Kennedy sinking the dagger further into the Dockers’ chest as the Blues won their first game at Adelaide Oval.

“I think it was against Clarky (Jordan Clark),” Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said after the game of the dissent free kick.

“They should have just got on with it... there’s not much you can do.

“We just need to move on because the umpire’s never going to backtrack.”

Andrew Brayshaw (38 touches) and Clark (30 disposals) were superb for the Dockers, while Blues spearhead Charlie Curnow managed to get off the chain and kick three second-half goals.

The Dockers had enjoyed a positive start after bucking the worrying trend that had marked their 3-0 winning their first opening quarter of the year by one point.

Ex-Docker Adam Cerra kicked the first goal of the game against his former side before Fremantle responded with consecutive majors to take an early lead.

Up against rookie Dockers defender Josh Draper, Harry McKay got the better of the three-gamer in a marking contest but fumbled in the goal square to be denied a major.

Carlton captain Patrick Cripps pushed forward late to pinch one back, converting a set shot from the paint of the arc, as the new father rocked his arms in a touching tribute to his newborn daughter.

Despite the momentum swinging Carton’s way in the second term, the Blues could not convert it on the scoreboard.

It took the inefficient Blues until the 17-minute mark of the second quarter to kick another goal and only managed 1.4 to the Dockers’ 2.0. McKay was the worst offender with two behinds.

The Blues’ woes continued to start the third, with Curnow and Cottrell both missing chances while the Dockers made the most of their opportunities to take a six-point lead into the main break.

Despite being the main target up forward, Curnow finally put himself in the books with back-to-back majors halfway through the third quarter.

A furious push-and-shove broke out after Fremantle star Nat Fyfe copped a nasty high-head hit by Lachie Fogarty, which floored the Brownlow Medallist and left him clutching his jaw.

The Dockers fared slightly better as inaccuracy plagued both sides, kicking 3.5 to 2.5 to stretch their lead out to nine points at the final break.

In a nail-biting final term, Carlton and Fremantle traded blows, both kicking back-to-back majors each to remain in the contest before Curnow converted a set shot to put Blues within three points prior to the controversial finish.