Fremantle Dockers showcase finals credentials after running down Hawthorn in last quarter

The never say die Dockers are back in the eight after a stunning final quarter where they turned a 13 point deficit into a 13-point win over Hawthorn at Optus Stadium.

Fremantle held Hawthorn goalless in the final quarter and kicked four goals of their own, winning a series of massive contests to claim a 12.5 (77) to 9.10 (64) victory.

It was the perfect response to last week’s loss to Sydney and the ideal way to celebrate retiring star Michael Walters.

It was a night where Hawthorn didn’t tag Fremantle’s stars and both Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw were huge with 29 touches each. Fittingly, Brayshaw ended the game with blood streaming from a head cut.

Last week, Serong, Brayshaw and Bolton combined for 17 possessions in the first half and the Dockers badly missed their drive. They had 24, four clearances and one goal by quarter time.

This was a game that had finals ramifications and felt like a final.

Fremantle applied enormous pressure early. There was Luke Ryan chasing down Nick Watson followed by Sam Switkowski refusing to give up when Connor Macdonald was about to shoot for goal. He forced the error.

But those efforts were nothing compared to the savage tackle Heath Chapman laid on Macdonald moments later. That turnover became a goal to Michael Frederick.

When Luke Jackson, Corey Wagner and Murphy Reid gang tackled Jack Ginnivan, it was clear the Dockers had a different edge.

The clearances were 10-10 at quarter time and Fremantle led by five points.

The Dockers kicked the first goal of the second time inside the opening minute but then the game totally changed as Hawthorn took control at ground level.

The Hawks’ small forwards looked dangerous whenever they got near the ball and the Dockers looked nervous in defence.

Dylan Moore capitalised on an error and snappy truly, then Watson nailed a half chance and suddenly Hawthorn led by eight points.

Macdonald and Ginnivan followed with opportunistic goals as Hawthorn dominated the ground ball contests inside 50.

The Hawks won the clearances for the term 17-11 and the tackles inside 50 were 21-6 in their favour.

Brayshaw and Serong both had 17 touches but they weren’t able to have the same level of influence as they did in the first term.

Tension was high. The Dockers still managed goals through Bolton and Amiss but needed to make adjustments at half-time to get the game back on their terms.

Fremantle got the perfect start to the third term when Switkowski booted his second goal and when Jackson inspired a second major with a brilliant run through the middle, the Dockers were in front.

Hawthorn’s kicking skills kept getting them out of trouble and Fremantle were fumbly and rushed in defence. But the Dockers stopped the Hawks from getting clean shots.

Fremantle’s errors eventually caught up with them though. An Amiss set shot went out of bounds on the full, then Karl Worner hesitated instead of taking his opportunity and Hawthorn lived to fight another day.

Then the Hawks took another half chance as Macdonald soccered the ball from a stoppage, it deflected off Calsher Dear’s boot and somehow snuck past every defender to put Hawthorn back in front.

The ball then lived in Hawthorn’s forward line as Fremantle wasted multiple chances to clear the footy. That pressure eventually tolled as Finn Maginness took a mark as the clock ticked down to three quarter time and he gave the Hawks a 13-point lead with one quarter to play.

It was the last thing Fremantle could afford.

But as they had done all night, the Dockers got the first goal of the final quarter. Switkowski crumbed brilliantly, snapped his third for the night and it was game on.

Then Hawthorn missed two opportunities, and Fremantle took their turn to make them pay. Frederick displayed class, strength and speed to set up Pat Voss, and he slammed through a long-range set shot. Now the Dockers were only two points down.

Could they create another opportunity? Bolton got a half chance but Karl Amon ran him down. Frederick received a handball with only grass between him and the goals, yet he fumbled.

Josh Treacy got two hands to the ball in a pack and just couldn’t hold on and then Sean Darcy’s quick kick got touched on the line by the Hawks. It was intense and the game was waiting for someone to find space.

Voss found it. He showed composure, passed to Darcy and the ruckman showed his forward line efforts against St Kilda were no fluke as he gave the Dockers a five-point lead.

Finals spots were on the line players put their bodies on the line too. Amiss missed another chance but he didn’t miss his chance to put his body over ball and get help Fremantle to get it to Josh Treacy. His set shot goal extended the advantage to 11 points.

Chapman produced a massive play with an extraordinary chase and bump to deny Watson a shot and force a throw in.

Fremantle just kept winning the key contests. Switkowski was huge and when Brennan Cox made a monstrous tackle on Watson, the Dockers were home.