Class shows as Pies dominate the Dockers

After a convincing victory against Fremantle at the MCG, Collingwood remains at the top of the AFL ladder, clearly indicating their strong contention for a Grand Final spot.

The match was led exceptionally by Brownlow Medallist Dane Swan, who recorded 43 possessions, seven tackles, and two goals. The Magpies established their victory during a dominant first term, scoring three goals while Fremantle only managed a pair of points.

Fremantle struggled to recover, ultimately resulting in a score of 15.17 (107) to 12.6 (78) in favor of the Magpies.

The game’s initial moments saw both teams adding extra players to their defensive lines. For the Magpies, Heath Shaw was monitoring the Fremantle backline, whereas Michael Johnson was the Dockers’ additional defender, who was ultimately overwhelmed by Collingwood’s strategy.

Even with the extra defenders, the Magpies managed to breach the crowded field.

Chris Dawes marked the first goal of the match with a strong contested catch over Alex Silvagni.

As the Magpies added further goals through Tyson Goldsack and Swan during the quarter, the Dockers could only manage one mark within their 50-metre area, with their forwards—especially captain Matthew Pavlich—finding few opportunities to score.

After the Magpies opened the match with six consecutive goals, Chris Mayne finally brought Fremantle their first major score late in the second quarter with a successful mark and shot.

The situation began to shift when Fremantle coach Ross Lyon moved Johnson out of defense, allowing the Dockers to better engage their opponents.

They scored six of the next eight goals, reducing a 40-point deficit to just 17 points midway through the third quarter.

Matthew Pavlich, who had been contained effectively earlier, concluded the game with five goals.