In a thrilling first half at Subiaco Oval, Fremantle built an impressive 58-point lead against West Coast during the western derby. With the desire to secure a seventh consecutive victory against their fierce rivals, the Dockers led 13.8 (86) to 4.4 (28) at half-time. Despite being labeled “fierce” rivals, the Eagles showed little in terms of aggression.
On a less favorable note for Fremantle, key defender Chris Tarrant exited the field just minutes before the quarter-time break due to a knee injury.
In the opening quarter, the Dockers dominated, scoring seven goals while keeping the Eagles scoreless, resulting in a 45-point advantage at the first break. Continuing their momentum, they outscored their opponents yet again in the second quarter, increasing their lead further.
The game began with Paul Hasleby scoring the opening goal after a kick-in from Will Schofield found its way to the veteran, setting the tone for the Dockers’ scoring spree.
Adding to his tally, Hasleby netted another goal in the second quarter and stands among three players for Fremantle who have kicked multiple goals.
For the Eagles, Mark LeCras has shone as a standout forward, managing to score three goals in the second quarter while Tarrant was absent due to injury.
A late twist for West Coast occurred before the bounce when they opted to withdraw rebounding defender Shannon Hurn from play. However, with the Dockers already in a comfortable position, they posed no real danger to Pavlich and his teammates.
Brett Jones, a premiership defender, stepped in to fill the void left by the crucial absence of Hurn, dealing a significant blow to the Eagles’ chances of breaking their six-game losing streak against the Dockers.
Fremantle took the field unchanged from their initially selected squad. The upcoming week promises to be critical (as every match at this stage will be), and it is likely that they will be without Chris Tarrant. The Dockers are set to face the Kangaroos while the Bulldogs head to take on the Crows. The fight for that 4th spot is very much alive and up for grabs.
