BLOW THE SIREN by Meggs

[Demonland 71,280]

Fremantle hosted the Demons on a sunny 20-degree Saturdayafternoon winning the toss and electing to defend in the first quarter against the 3-goal breeze favouring the Parry Street end.

There was method here, as this would give the comeback queens, the Dockers, last use of the breeze.

The Melbourne Coach had promised an improved performance, and we did start better than previous weeks, winning the ball out of the middle, using the breeze advantage and connecting to the forwards. 

Hore, Bannan, Hanks and Zanker all kicked first quarter goals.

McNamara, Goldrick, Hanks, Hore, and Chaplin were very busy as the Dees went into half time with a 14-point lead.

Fremantle had to rearrange their forward structure as game-changer, Aine Tighe, innocuously hurt her knee and was taken out of the game. Potentially her third ACL injury.

After halftime the Dockers really defended well led by pressures acts from Gaby O’Sullivan, Hayley Miller, and ruck Mim Strom and it was goal apiece during the third quarter.

It was a thrilling final quarter with the game played almost exclusively in the Dockers half while our backs and midsdesperately defended.

Kate Hore was thrown back as a spare and the indefatigable Eliza McNamara was everywhere.
With 8 minutes left on the clock the Demons were still 3 goals up. 

Fremantle were piling on the pressure and the lead evaporated quickly following some defensive errors. 

With scores now level and three minutes remaining, the Dees fans yell ‘Blow the siren’.
Into the last minute Hore errantly kicks out on the full.  The ball comes straight back, and Kate tries to step past a Freo player, misses her kick and is pinged for holding the ball. 

The siren sounds and Aishling McCarthy kicks perfectly to win the match for Fremantle.

For the Dees

The injury curse continues for the Dees with promising cross-coder Grace Beasley doing her ACL at training during the week and Blaithin Mackin forced out of the game early with a calf injury.

Former Geelong player, Denby Taylor, debuted promisingly with 6 disposals, a couple of bounces to show off her pace, and 3 tackles earning 2 free kicks. 

Eliza McNamara was outstanding, her best game in the Red and Blue.  Goldie, Hanksy and Chappy were really solid on the day.  Kate Hore tried hard to lift her team.

Lily was quiet in her 75th game but showed her class as always.

Eden Zanker, last year’s leading AFLW goalkicker, finally scored her first goal in 2024.  Edo hurt her knee in the last quarter and hopefully is okay.

It was always going to be a difficult assignment to win away with so many stars unavailable and young players still learning their craft.

Moment of the match

With scores level and Hayley Miller breaking past Chaplin streaming into goal, Gaby Colvin smashes into Miller just as she is about to kick a goal and earns a free.

Sadly, it wasn’t to be a match saving act.

Coaches and next week

Melbourne Coach Mick Stinear was bitterly disappointed.  His team came here to win and started well but the game slipped away in the second half.  He was pleased his team won the contest, but they failed to find meaningful connections with the breeze in the third quarter. 

He singled out Lize McNamara who had an outstanding game,shouldering a high workload when Blaithin Mackin was ruled out early in the match.  To win, he needs an equal contribution across the ground.

Fremantle coach Lisa Webb says her team had belief coming home with the breeze in the final quarter. 

She praised Gaby O’Sullivan who brought tremendous pressure and Aisling McCarthy who kicked the winning goal.

The Demons head to Windy Hill next Friday to take on the Bombers.  With both teams sitting in the bottom eight of the ladder, it will be an important win for one of the teams.  Go Dees!

With the mounting injuries, how will the Demons field a full squad this week without replacements?

MELBOURNE 4.0.24 5.1.31 6.5.41 6.5.41 

FREMANTLE 1.1.7 2.5.17  3.5.23 7.5.47

GOALS

MELBOURNE Bannan Gall Goldrick Hank Hore Zanker

FREMANTLE O'Sullivan 3 Antonio Biedenweg-Webster McCarthy Miller

BEST

MELBOURNE McNamara Goldrick Hore Hanks Chaplin

FREMANTLE O'Sullivan Miller Strom O'Driscoll Newton McCarthy

INJURIES

MELBOURNE B Mackin (calf)

FREMANTLE Tighe (knee)

LATE CHANGES 

MELBOURNE  Grace Beasley (knee) replaced in selected side by Grace Hill

FREMANTLE Nil

CROWD 1,633 at Fremantle Oval