AFL: There will be no ‘home’ comforts for North Melbourne as Fremantle look to continue their imperious form as they chase a record extending 12th straight win.
The Roos host the Dockers in Bunbury in what will be one of the shortest away trips the Dockers will ever have to make, with a packed house expected at Hands Oval.
On paper, this should be a straightforward job for ladder-leading Fremantle, but on the back of their stunning run down of Gold Coast, North Melbourne’s threat should not be discounted.
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Freo continue their run and gun
Fremantle look like they’re on the Bunbury speedway the way they can chain fron one end to another.
They have 388m gained via handball compared to 67m from the Roos.
Mason Cox does a basketball tap behind him to Young who’s in space after a block in a great set play as he kicks another to coninute his strong return.
Jackson has his first
He’s had five touches and a goal in this quarter as he’s beginning to really dominate in the ruck.
Xerri catches him high to give away a free inside 50 and it feels like the Roos have barely touched the ball in the past eight minutes.
To that end Dockers have had 61 touches to 30 this term.
Danger signs for Roos
It’s another end to end transition as Josh Treacy gets on the end of this one.
He gets his second and the Dockers have their fourth goal in six minutes.
Erasmus gets on the scoreboard
Good pressure as he works up to lay the tackle on Colby McKercher who’s trapped inside 50.
From 45m he converts and just like that the margin is back out to three goals.
Pat Voss finally gets his first moments later to make it a game high 24-points on the back of some Luke Jackson dominance.
Switta has another
Perfect response from Freo as they punish again on turnover as they go quick up the wing and Voss is involved again to handball out to Switta who runs into an open forward line to kick his second.
Wardlaw makes it two in a row
He pins Chapman cold at the contest who is adjudged to have had an arm free and called holding the ball.
He works it back on the breeze and sneaks it through and we’re back to a one goal game.
Darling hits back for Roos
North Melbourne have hustled well to stop the Dockers transition to win the ball back.
Alex Pearce has an unofruntate slip allowing fomrer Eagles Jack Darling to take an uncontested mark.
He snaps around the corner to bring the margin back to 12 points.
Dudley gives Dockers the perfect start
All the talk has rightly been about Fremantle’s talls but their fleet of smalls have started hot this contest as Dudley swoops on the loose ball inside 50 to run into goal to give Fremantle their fifth.
When they turn it on Freo have too much pace for the Roos.
Trembath misses some golden chances as Dockers lead at quarter time
Twice in the dying minutes of that quarter the ball spilled out the back of the pack where Trembath was perfectly positioned to add to his goal.
But he fumbled at crucial times as Fremantle got back to apply enough pressure.
It sees the Dockers lead by 13 points at the break.
Haydne Young is the leading Freo ball winner with eight in his first quarter back but Muprhy Reid as looked best on so far with his seven touches and a goal.
FRE 4.3 (27) NM 2.2 (14)
Murphy the mindreader
The barechested Voss has started this game red hot as he burns his oponent to get on a lead.
He’s had six touches two marks already but misses to make it two behinds.
It doesn’t matter however as Murphy Reid reads Luke Parker’s mind to cut off his kick in and convert from 15m out.
Dockers are punishing the Roos on turnover with 26 of their 27 points coming from that source
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