Stewart passes to Cameron who has ten metres on Ryan leading to the flank 40m out, Jezza plays on but the wind is cross-ground today and blows the snap wide left. (Q1 0:48)
The wind at Kardinia is blowing strongly across to the outer wing side, it’s going to be a day for short passes. (Q1 1:18)
Cameron marks a Bruhn low ball 35m out on a slight angle, his set shot is a poster on the left side, giving too much to the wind that time. (Q1 7:16)
The nor-westerly wind is actually diagonal towards Geelong’s end in Q1, bit hard to navigate but definitely favouring one end. (Q1 7:58)
Pearce intercepts in the back pocket and goes to switch with Stenglein right there, the ump calls play on and then HTB, unlucky for Moose but Stenglein gets the first goal. (Q1 10:13)
Schultz passes to the boundary 40m out for Sturt to mark 40m out after Guthrie drops a mark on the wing. Sturt misses. (Q1 15:04)
Extremely low amount of goalmouth action in this one, wind is making it tricky but Geelong are playing a man behind the ball with the wind, which is suboptimal for their attack. (Q1 21:31)
Duncan smothers Erasmus at half back and the Cats are off to the races through Bowes, Cameron has Holmes sprinting free to the square for the counter attack goal. (Q1 24:29)
Switkowski hits the hotspot after a contact free on Stewart on the HFF, crumb sits up behind for Schultz who fumbles and volleys wide from 15m. (Q1 27:06)
Long ball to a big pack in the pocket for Freo using the wing, Switkowski is front and centre to rove and give inside to Walters who does the rest off the left. (Q2 2:18)
Serong from the next bounce all the way over the back of the Geelong defence to Frederick who turns into the open goal! Duncan it was who zoned up to allow that play. (Q2 3:26)
Jackson to Serong for another centre clearance, this time it’s Walters who roves and feeds Switkowski who checksides a fabulous swerving finish from 40m using the breeze! (Q2 4:58)
After Ryan beats Cameron in a ground battle on the HBF but kicks OOTF, Miers passes to Hawkins to mark in front of Pearce 45m out on a slight angle. Tough set shot… goal. (Q2 9:15)
Hawkins made that look like there wasn’t a breath of wind in the air, booming set shot. (Q2 9:48)
Henry does two one-twos after a stoppage on the wing then kicks long to 35m on a slight angle for Sturt to mark but miss left. (Q2 13:13)
Hamling gets back in time to rush a dribbler by Close who had roved a Cameron contest at the hotspot. (Q2 14:17)
Freo get a loose man going on a rebound but Frederick misses from 20m out in the pocket, opportunity lost. (Q2 18:42)
Cameron roves his own contest 20m out in the pocket, his left-foot dribbler sits up for Oliver Henry to gather and goal. (Q2 19:54)
Serong roves and shoots off the left from the hotspot, it’s a bit weak and falls in the square… but Bowes drops it and Corbett volleys an opportunist goal! (Q2 21:24)
Fremantle have scored four goals this quarter with the wind, and are looking very dangerous off centre clearance… but not nearly as much if that doesn’t work. (Q2 22:54)
Having said that, Sturt’s repeat inside 50 pass goes to Corbett 40m out on a slight angle, he misses to the right. (Q2 23:49)
Ryan roves at defensive hotspot, but his attempted running checkside rebound kick is poor and straight to Tuohy 45m out on a slight angle. The Irishman kicks wide right. (Q2 24:58)
Cameron runs back with the flight behind two defenders to mark a Dangerfield kick to just inside 50m on the flank, Jezza also kicks like there’s no wind, fabulous finish! (Q2 28:04)
Corbett is rewarded for good run off the ball with another mark inside 50, this one 35m out in front from a Brayshaw kick. Set shot is good, Fremantle leads closing on HT. (Q2 30:15)
If Fremantle scrapped like this every week, they would be finals locks. They have a good record at Kardinia, their small forwards are suited to its dimensions. (Half Time)
Doesn’t hurt for the purple horde that they have dominated clearances despite being well down on hit outs. When Jackson does win the tap, he is setting up scoring opportunities. (Half Time)
Stenglein passes to Cameron 45m out near the boundary, his set shot is narrow to the right. (Q3 0:40)
Cameron marks a Hawkins pass in front of Ryan at the hotspot but hits the left goalpost, disappointingly. (Q3 6:41)
Corbett picks off De Koning kicking across half back, loose men on the quick counter, he chooses Sturt 35m out in front. Sturt’s kicking has been poor today… this one is good! (Q3 9:09)
Geelong gets a rare scoring opportunity from a cetnre clearance, Rohan passes short to Miers 35m out in front but he plays on and sprays the snap wide. (Q3 11:19)
Tuohy roves a Cameron centring ball and feeds O’Connor who snaps across the face from 40m on a slight angle. Good chase by the Dockers today. (Q3 15:02)
Repeat inside 50s for the Cats with the wind, Smith goes to Close 40m out on the boundary in the dead pocket. Kicks into the wind… short and rushed. (Q3 15:30)
Geelong fans boo lustily after two umpiring decisions went against them, red hot they were too. Switkowski misses from the HFF. (Q3 18:09)
Stenglein roves a stoppage at half forward and kicks to the square for Oliver Henry to mark in front of Hamling for the go-ahead goal. (Q3 20:41)
Amiss takes a strong contested mark in front of De Koning from a Wagner clearance kick from the HFF to the top of the square. Nev doesn’t miss, Freo leads again. (Q3 25:02)
1:01 to 3QT, the Cats are behind and kicking into the wind in Q4. Kardinia crowd is chuntering at great volume. (Q3 25:46)
Jackson to Brayshaw for the next centre clearance, Amiss hits the crumb at full pace and snaps across his body from 40m… Kolodjashnij leaps on the line to touch it through! (Q3 27:08)
Geelong rebounds up members wing at pace for once on a rather turgid afternoon, Cameron marks very wide on the HFF 45m out and kicks after the 3QT siren… narrow to the right. (Q3 27:41)
Close bowls over two Dockers on the wing to allow Dangerfield to rove and bomb long to Hawkins one out with Pearce, to the advantage of Hawk who marks and goals from the hotspot. (Q4 1:04)
The Cats get another centre clearance, Miers’ snap from half forward rolls near the behind line, Dangerfield gathers and feeds Close who spins and goals from 10m! (Q4 2:50)
Clark bombs long inside 50, it’s over the heads of Treacy and Jack Henry, bounces behind them and through… but Treacy is pinged for a push in the back, no score. (Q4 4:47)
Repeat stoppages inside 50 for Fremantle now, that’s how you’d expect most of this quarter to be played. (Q4 6:09)
Serong volleys to the square, Amiss volleys into the post. (Q4 6:09)
Stewart kicks across half back but Wagner intercepts, his kick inside 50 falls in front of the pack in the square for Schultz to mark on his chest, he goals! (Q4 7:32)
Treacy takes a link mark on the wing after the next bounce and waits for a target… it’s Jackson who loses Stanley to mark 45m out on a slight angle. This for the lead… touched. (Q4 9:59)
Guthrie sends a speculator to the hotspot, Jackson can’t mark, Hamling crumbs but is stripped of the ball by Oliver Henry, Smith roves and checksides home! (Q4 12:38)
Geelong have manufactured three goals into the wind, Freo has to respond. (Q4 13:14)
Clark kicks to the pocket for Frederick to gather in front of Stewart, he runs to the boundary in the Gary Ablett pocket and snaps a sensational goal that Gazza would have loved! (Q4 16:39)
Duncan passes to Cameron in the pocket to mark in front of Ryan 30m out. Set up for his screwing left-foot shot… but he shanks for no score. (Q4 17:21)
Smith turns the ball over with an ill-advised volley on the wing straight to Brayshaw, Freo attacks on the fat side, Amiss feeds Schultz who snaps truly from the pocket 20m out! (Q4 19:39)
Switkowski smothers Stewart in the centre, mops up and starts a counter, Treacy passes to Sturt 40m out on the flank. Sturt misses badly, near side right. (Q4 21:09)
Stewart again is smothered kicking from half back by Sturt, eventually Ethan Stanley gets a chance for a flying snap from 35m on the flank but it’s across the face. (Q4 23:39)
Repeat inside 50s for Fremantle now as was always on with the wind. Clock under 4:00, two kicks in it now. (Q4 24:27)
Hawkins off the ground means Pearce is on Cameron and is too good, Holmes tries a pass but Moose repels. (Q4 25:53)
Over for a throw in on centre wing, 2:10 to go, Cats just about out of ideas. (Q4 25:53)
Duncan roves and starts another switch attack but again Moose spoils Cameron and repels. (Q4 26:44)
Duncan pumps it back in, Ryan rebounds to outer wing, throw in, 1:24. (Q4 27:25)
Brayshaw clears, Amiss takes a huge contested grab and goes inside 50, Duncan roves and starts a switch, Henry’s chase forces Guthrie to turn it over, that is just about the game. (Q4 28:04)
The Dockers have done it for the second year running at Kardinia! (Q4 28:45)
