North Melbourne’s Kaitlyn Ashmore concedes a free kick to Kiara Bowers of Fremantle during the AFLW qualifying final between the Roos and Dockers. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
FREMANTLE 11.3 (69) d NORTH MELBOURNE 4.7 (31)
So much for that defensive battle between these sides that some footy pundits forecast. An arm wrestle lasted only as long as the first quarter before the trigger-happy Dockers turned Arden Street into a happy hunting ground, reducing the Roos to roadkill and unceremoniously eliminating them from the finals.
While you’ve heard of the term “captain’s goal,” Fremantle skipper Hayley Miller played a “captain’s match.” She was the Dockers’ best and equal-best for possessions with 21, won five clearances, and took a sensational second quarter mark, which she completed by nailing the resultant set shot and extending a three-point Fremantle lead to nine, which eventually ballooned to a 38-point final margin. Kiara Bowers, whose earlier suspension cost her the chance to play in Fremantle’s early-season clash against the Roos, reintroduced herself on Saturday, joining Miller with 21 disposals, and most importantly, winning a match-high eight clearances. Gabby O’Sullivan (18 touches) perhaps played her best match of the season, contributing six clearances of her own.
Docker dominance out of the centre square and at stoppages led to a multitude of scoring chances, with the visitors kicking four in the second quarter, and three each in the third and fourth terms. The Roos dominated play in the first term and narrowly won the inside 50 count for the match, but couldn’t cash in, as their wastefulness in front of goal showed in their scoreline. And when North Melbourne did manage to convert, whether through a brilliant Ellie Gavalas major in the first quarter or a Tahlia goal Randall in the second, Fremantle quickly answered — sometimes in under a minute — off the boots of Roxy Roux and Gemma Houghton.
North Melbourne’s Ash Riddell, the AFLW disposals leader, who averaged 29 per match, again led her side in that category, with 23, but with Fremantle taking command, it forced Roos’ senior coach Darren Crocker to shift ace rebounding defender Emma Kearney back into her customary midfield role to try and win more possession.
The Roos’ twin towers up forward, Randall and Emma King, were well held, and King missed two shots at goal. While Fremantle’s 2021 All-Australian intercept defender Janelle Cuthbertson made an impressive return from a long-term injury, Dockers’ senior coach Trent Cooper played tall utility Aine Tighe — who had replaced Cuthbertson down back — up forward, which paid dividends. Tighe kicked one goal, and on several occasions created contests, and brought the ball to ground. Mikayla Hyde booted two Fremantle goals, while nine others chipped in one each.
The Dockers now advance to their first AFLW preliminary final since 2019, as they’ve booked a ticket to Adelaide, to take on the 2021 runner-up the Crows.
