Live AFL Scores: Fremantle Dockers take on Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium
Fremantle are hoping to continue their winning ways against Western Bulldogs who are sitting eighth and trying to avoid playing a wild card final. Follow all the action from Optus Stadium with our live blog.
Fremantle are hoping to continue their winning ways against Western Bulldogs who are sitting eighth and trying to avoid playing a wild card final.
Hayden Young returns for the contest in place of Corey Wagner who picked up an injury during the week while the Dogs are without Aaron Naughton and Cody Weightman up forward.
But can the visitors find their bite or will it be all bark?
Follow all the action from Optus Stadium with our live blog.
Aaron Kirby is reporting live.
HT: Fremantle 29, Western Bulldogs 29
As the Eagles did last week, the Dogs are just hanging around with Fremantle.
Beveridge has a clear defensive plan and it’s doing enough to slow the Dockers and allow them to counter every now and then.
The visitors don’t look overly dangerous but they are executing the plan well and getting goals at important times.
Liberatore has been huge in the clinches and refuses to take a backwards step from the Dockers’ star-studded centre line.
Ryan had a big term for the Dockers but wasn’t able to launch many incisive attacks.
Tied!
Lobb copped a ton of boos from his former fans after getting a mark but he made the set shot look easy.
It levels the scores and Justin Longmuir will not be pleased with his side in the last five minutes.
They’ve allowed the Dogs to escape after setting up strong opportunities to attack.
FRE 29, WB 29
Frustrating
The Dockers are trying to get their game rolling but missed shots and a clingy Western Bulldogs are annoying them.
Between the arcs they look great, pushing and pulling the Dogs apart to create space.
However, the visitors are holding their shape and getting extras into defensive 50 so all that moving isn’t helping the Dockers with end product.
FRE 23, WB 17
Young gun
Cooper Hynes had a Rising Star nomination not that long ago and he is on fire to start tonight.
He’s had 13 touches and slots his second goal to fustrate the Dockers who are trying to get rolling.
FRE 16, WB 15
Found ‘em
Third times the charm for Treacy!
He gets another uncontested grab on a sharp lead and this time has no trouble dead in front, 40 metres out.
The Dockers are wearing the Dogs down who are pure defence at the moment.
FRE 16, WB 9
Give us a hand
Pearce has wounded his hand in a marking contest going back with the flight but after a quick check from the medico he looks fine.
Potentially the nail has moved.
Meanwhile, Treacy has missed another set shot and we remain goalless in the second term.
FRE 10, WB 9
QT: Fremantle 9, Western Bulldogs 8
There was not much to write about in that first term with both teams content to probe and just not give anything away.
Fremantle were the far more dangerous side though, forcing the Dogs to defend to the last line whenever they entered the forward half.
Williams and Liberatore lead the possession-getters with eight while Worner is the Dockers’ leader with seven disposals.
The Dogs only managed six inside 50s for the term despite only being behind by two in the clearance numbers but a late goal keeps them well and truly in the contest.
From small to big!
Dudley wins the high contact free kick in the forward 50 but his set shot from the boundary is terrible.
But it doesn’t matter when Jackson is lingering.
The big fella taps the contested mark in the air and then pulls it in on the way down.
He dobs the set shot from 20 metres out and we finally have a major on the board.
FRE 9, WB 1
Defense first
Both teams have a man behind the ball and it’s made scoring difficult.
The Dockers have missed a few shots and have been a little scrappy going inside 50.
The Dogs have only been forward a couple of times.
FRE 3, WB 1
Off the leash
Murphy Reid is already pulling all the strings for Fremantle.
He has given them two inside 50s and should have been set up for a set shot himself but Amiss’ kick just missed him.
The Dogs need to glue a man to his hip pronto.
FRE 2, WB 1
