Star ruckman Luke Jackson has produced yet another match-winning display as Fremantle overcame a 28-point deficit to beat Geelong by nine points and extend their club-record winning run to 13 games.
The Cats led 56-28 midway through the second quarter of Thursday night’s blockbuster in Perth as Fremantle’s stars faltered badly in front of goal.
But the Dockers eventually found their groove, kicking 10 goals without a miss to go from 3.11 to 13.11 to take a 19-point lead into three-quarter time.
Geelong closed the gap to nine points with five minutes remaining when Jack Henry kicked truly, but Fremantle held their nerve in a thrilling finish to seal the 14.15 (99) to 14.6 (90) win in front of 55,201 fans.
“Amazing,” Dockers midfielder Andrew Brayshaw told Fox Sports after the win.
“We played the game in our front half for the first quarter and a bit, but they were capitalising on our errors.
“We had heaps of shots, we just weren’t able to finish.
“The message from JL (coach Justin Longmuir) at halftime was keep playing our way and eventually it will turn, and it did.”
Jackson finished with 28 disposals, 26 hitouts, six clearances and three goals in a monster effort.
Brayshaw tallied 16 disposals in the third quarter alone on the way to 35 for the match, Jye Amiss kicked 3.4, and 150-game milestone man Alex Pearce took seven intercept marks.
For Geelong – who were missing Bailey Smith and Tom Stewart – Max Holmes was busy with 27 disposals and 597m gained, while Jack Martin kicked three first-quarter goals but none thereafter.
Fremantle’s club-extending record 13th win on the trot means the Dockers (13-1) stay a game clear on top of the ladder, while Geelong (9-6) could slip out of the top four by the end of the round.
Martin kicked three goals in the opening quarter and Oliver Wiltshire chipped in with two as Geelong took a 10-point lead into the first break.
The highlight of the term was a huge don’t-argue from Fremantle spearhead Patrick Voss on Oisin Mullin on the wing.
Fellow forward Josh Treacy was off-target with 0.2 to go with another set shot that didn’t register a score,
Fremantle’s kicking woes reached fever pitch in the second quarter as Geelong’s lead blew out to 28 points.
Sam Switkowski, Shai Bolton, Hayden Young, Amiss, Murphy Reid and Voss all missed gettable chances, with another snap from Amiss missing everything by 15m.
Even a mark of the year contender from Bolton – who flew over Voss and Jake Kolodjashnij in spectacular fashion – couldn’t stop the rot as Geelong kept making Fremantle pay for their misses.
Fremantle’s run of seven consecutive behinds was finally ended when Voss picked up the ball from one metre out to slot his second.
The moment sparked a three-goal run from the Dockers, with Treacy’s 55m bomb and Jackson’s set shot closing the margin to nine points by half-time.
Fremantle snatched the lead early in the third quarter, and although Geelong briefly responded, the Dockers finished with a flurry to take a 19-point lead into the final change.
The Cats pushed hard for victory in the last quarter with the first two goals of the term, but a successful snap from Amiss with nine minutes remaining gave Fremantle enough breathing space.
