AFL Collingwood v Fremantle: Dockers’ season over as Pies run rampant

Fremantle won’t be playing football in September. And what the Dockers are dishing up in July isn’t very watchable either.

Suddenly that 20-point semi-final margin looks pretty flattering.

After a demoralizing 46-point loss to Collingwood at the MCG, Fremantle look set to finish round 18 in the bottom four. And with six games to play, it could yet get worse for the Dockers.

The first, third and fourth quarters were respectable. The Dockers matched Collingwood goal for goal across those three terms. And after half-time, the sting went out of it.

But all it takes is one very bad 30 minutes.

That was the second.

If Fremantle gave Collingwood a millimeter, the Magpies took an inch. If Fremantle was going the speed limit, Collingwood set off cameras all around the MCG.

This was as devastating as it gets.

In the opening minutes of the term, Sam Switkowski was buried into the turf from behind by Taylor Adams. It’s the type of tackle that could easily be penalised by the match review officer. But if you’re Collingwood, it’s the sort of intensity umpires have come to expect. Free kick awarded. But the pain would get oh so much worse.

The Magpies kicked 10 goals. Fremantle kicked two.

The Dockers couldn’t get their hands on the ball. They had just 47 disposals for the quarter and generated only four inside 50s. Even the smallest of errors received the costliest of punishments. Fumbles, missed kicks and missed handballs were shown no mercy.

In contrast, Collingwood were clean and slick. They cut the Dockers up through the corridor and Justin Longmuir didn’t have any answers.

The Magpies dominated contested marks, converting some of their goals from the square after towering clunks. It wasn’t until the 29 minute of the second term that Josh Treacy took Fremantle’s first contested mark for the match.

The midfield was where it all started. Collingwood won centre bounces 8-3. And when Fremantle managed to get some sort of ascendancy, the Magpies forced a turnover.

A respectable quarter time margin had suddenly swelled to 53 at half-time.

Game over.

The first quarter was marked down as yet another loss for Fremantle but the Dockers would’ve felt a lot more comfortable with what they produced.

The Collingwood DNA was on full display early in the first term. Darcy Moore peeled off and raked in five intercept marks. Nathan Murphy was equally good in the air. And missed tackles cost Fremantle around the ground.

Alarm bells started ringing when Taylor Adams kicked Collingwood’s third straight goal. Especially given the Dockers couldn’t get any fluidity going inside 50 at the other end. One fast break from a centre clearance courtesy of James Aish looked certain to deliver a Fremantle goal. But the Dockers over-possessed the ball by hand and turned it over only for Collingwood to go up the other end and score.

Sometimes all you need is a bit of luck. And that’s exactly what Fremantle got when Jye Amiss’ ground level goal was ticked off despite Collingwood’s protests of touched. O’Meara kicked Fremantle’s second from general play and suddenly it twigged, if you can’t go over Collingwood, go at them.

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Bailey Banfield, recalled after three weeks in the WAFL, kicked Fremantle’s third and ensured the quarter time margin would remain at less than a kick. The midfield was busy as well, getting proactive at stoppages. Neil Erasmus wasn’t overawed by Collingwood’s experienced on ballers and had nine disposals. And Andrew Brayshaw had five clearances. He didn’t have one in the second term.

Just when Fremantle’s day couldn’t get any dirtier, the Dockers were rocked by two injury concerns. Brandon Walker crumbled to the deck in the third quarter with a knee injury serious enough to deserve a green whistle. While Sean Darcy was exited the game in the same quarter with an ankle concern.

And the rain came as well, a weather condition the Dockers have notoriously struggled with.