21 factors down early within the ultimate quarter, with their season as soon as once more on the brink, Fremantle almost performed the proper ultimate quarter at Optus Stadium.
So usually this 12 months the masters of each the late comeback and the tight end, the Dockers, second greatest all night towards a Gold Coast group not content material with merely reaching September for the primary time, wanted the whole lot to go proper to grab the elimination ultimate out of the Suns’ grasp.
A match outlined by the Suns’ ruthless effectivity inside 50, and Freo’s lack of the identical regardless of an uncharacteristically correct evening in entrance of aim, turned one determined by moments.
From the 15 minute mark of the final quarter to the twenty fourth, when Luke Jackson capped off the turnaround and put them in entrance, the Dockers owned seven of them. Seven huge performs, again to again to again, all culminating in scenes that had Perth rocking to its foundations.
The proper ultimate time period … undone by three blunders with victory of their grasp. The top consequence, as merciless a finals loss as we’ve seen in lots of a 12 months for a group that bows out of 2025 figuring out it was able to a lot extra.
Seven factors down with beneath 9 minutes to play, with the momentum on their aspect if not an irrepressible wave simply but, comes Freo’s first main win of the bunch.
It begins with the form of screw-up that may hang-out a summer season: all by himself within the centre circle, Patrick Voss, whose three objectives has saved the Dockers inside arm’s attain up till now, squanders the attacking probability by first failing to cleanly collect a troublesome ball despatched proper to his bootlaces, then compounds the error by each handballing backwards, and lacking meant goal Karl Worner. A gilt-edged Freo ahead foray is instantly a impartial ball at half-back.
The Dockers are undeterred. With Suns harassing their each transfer, the ball jars hither and thither, till a pair of Freo handballs set them away once more. First, Luke Ryan sharks Touk Miller’s tried flick into the clear, skirts the site visitors, and dishes superbly into open area forward of Andrew Brayshaw, the celebrity No.8 not needing to interrupt stride to assemble.
Immediately caught by Brayden Fiorini, Brayshaw has simply sufficient energy to wrest his proper arm free and get the killer move away to Hayden Younger, in area working by means of the hall. With the Suns scrambling to arrange behind the footy, the Dockers’ greatest kick is as much as the problem, lacing out Michael Frederick out the again on the sting of fifty. He in flip goes excessive to a free Josh Treacy, along with his man Mac Andrew pressured to face the mark.
A usually dependable set shot with the penchat to fluff his traces on the most sudden occasions, Treacy’s proper boot is straight and true. It’s a one-point recreation, and Freo now formally have the momentum.
Second three comes on the subsequent centre bounce, and is as symbolic as they arrive: Jarrod Witts’ faucet, as he has all evening, slides into the trail of the rampaging bull that’s Matt Rowell, with Brayshaw, his purple counterpart, sizzling on his heels.
Few gamers within the competitors can match Rowell for sheer energy in such a one-on-one contest, and as they grapple for the soccer, it appears inevitable the Solar will win – till Brayshaw, the gang’s roar ringing in his ears, not solely wins the combat for the footy, however fends Rowell away to provide himself area. He finds Nat Fyfe, who bangs the ball deep into Freo territory.
A mark isn’t forthcoming, and the Suns repel – however it speaks volumes of how this contest has shifted.
Equally symbolic is the subsequent second, one that will have lived in soccer folklore had the consequence been flipped. As Bodhi Uwland, colossal all evening, thunders the ball out of defensive 50 and to the wing, it appears destined to be battled for by the talls, with Ben King, Witts and Brennan Cox all converging to the drop zone.
The marker? Nat Fyfe, the smallest man within the pack, on battle-wearied legs which have endured numerous accidents over an extended, embellished and in the end heartbreaking profession. A 309th, and final, contested mark for one of many nice aerial midfielders the sport has seen.
He in flip finds Brayshaw, who goals lengthy on the sizzling spot, the Suns pressured to spoil and accept a behind to tie the scores. A contact over 5 minutes stay, and each result’s on the desk.
It’s all of the Suns can do at this stage to repel any means they will, which normally means kicking lengthy, excessive and good-looking so far as they will muster. Because the clock ticks beneath 5 to go, David Swallow does simply that, however finds his path blocked by a well-known foe: Alex Pearce.
The Dockers captain has already been immense on this ultimate quarter, doing to the Suns what Darcy Moore did to Adelaide on Friday evening and marking the whole lot he may get his fingers on. Against King, he pulls down one other intercept mark, his fifth within the final time period alone. It appears unthinkable that the Suns can rating once more with him standing in the best way.
And but nearly immediately, they almost do. Pearce’s kick is intercepted in flip by Wil Powell, an unassuming Solar having a profession evening in defence. He spots up Swallow working free by means of the hall, and Freo sphincters tighten in Optus Stadium.
The veteran Solar, trying to stave off retirement for another week, has the error he’d later speak about in his post-match interview with blessed aid. He first decides to take an pointless bounce, slowing him down and permitting Murphy Reid to shut in and apply strain, earlier than – worse nonetheless – horribly messing up his kick on the main Bailey Humphrey. It trickles his means, three Dockers converge, Heath Chapman knocks Humphrey off the ball and provides to Jordan Clark, and his lengthy kick to the wing is latched onto by Patrick Voss.
Now come the 2 greatest moments of all of them – the primary nerves of metal, the second outstanding athleticism, each prodigious talent from males whose footy journeys have led them on very completely different paths.
Scanning the sphere for choices, Voss, given a second probability at Fremantle after being minimize unfastened by Essendon and whose pure exuberance as a lot as his work in assault has sparked the Dockers’ surge within the second half of the season, pulls the set off on the riskiest, deadliest one in every of all – he spots up Younger, as soon as once more all by his personal within the centre sq.. Overshoot the kick, or fall brief, and even dangle it too lengthy within the air, and there are Suns in all places able to converge and whisk it upfield.
Voss’ kick is pinpoint.
As Sam Collins converges from the entrance, Younger is pressured to kick lengthy to a contest – removed from the Dockers’ forte this night. Two of the three males in purple able to compete for it are smalls, Shai Bolton and Isaiah Dudley.
However the different is Luke Jackson.
Against a person mountain in Mac Andrew who wants solely spoil to win the competition, on his return to Optus Stadium for a ultimate for the primary time since his 2021 grand ultimate heroics, cometh the Unicorn.
And naturally, from shut vary, he was by no means going to overlook.
The Dockers appear house and hosed – particularly when, with somewhat over two and a half minutes remaining, one other Suns ahead foray is stifled by an intercept mark. This time it’s Brennan Cox, regular beneath a excessive ball to the sting of fifty, successful Freo again the ball and permitting time to be chewed off the clock.
Up thus far, the whole lot that might go proper has gone proper for Freo. As Luke Ryan goes lengthy down the road with precisely two minutes remaining, they’ve one purple foot within the semi finals.
It’s about to go horribly, horribly mistaken.
The worm activates a second of Suns brilliance – Bodhi Uwland, who in 12 months’ time could be merely Zeke’s older brother such are the wraps on the looming Academy gun, flies towards Voss with designs on just one factor: to mark, to not spoil or to carry or to wrestle or any of the issues defenders are supposed to do.
Losing no time, he drives the ball so long as he probably can, to inside 40 metres of the Suns’ aim. Forward of him is King and Ben Lengthy, their two most important threats in entrance of the massive sticks all season lengthy – and Andrew, despatched ahead by Damien Hardwick as a final roll of the cube.
Justin Longmuir, in flip, has rolled along with his trump card: Treacy behind the ball. Twice already this season, together with memorably towards Collingwood on the MCG, he has taken the game-saving mark in precisely this example. He’s no stranger to this job.
However for causes recognized solely to him, Andrew’s presence subsequent to him deep inside 50 spooks Treacy – and results in the primary of the three vital errors that will price Freo their season.
As Uwland’s kick arcs ahead, Treacy at first makes to run at the place he expects the ball to land … and stops lifeless in his tracks, selecting to take a seat again behind the competition.
Possibly he’s frightened about Andrew leaking out the again and getting a fortunate bounce or ricochet.
It means Treacy, the Dockers’ man for a disaster all season lengthy, can solely watch in horror as Andrew sprints proper previous him, on to the spot the place he ought to have been, and marks just about unopposed, his top and free leap on the footy giving him an elevation Pearce and Ryan can’t match.
Final season, he gained Gold Coast a recreation towards Essendon with a kick after the siren. A little bit over 12 months on, he kicks a very powerful aim in Suns historical past.
Scores are stage. It’s anybody’s recreation once more.
The subsequent blunder rests on the shoulders of the Dockers you’d have least anticipated to bottle it at a second like this – Caleb Serong.
Serong is Fremantle’s greatest ball-winner. He’s their clearance king. He’s the person to win the toughest of footies at a very powerful occasions. So when probably the most essential ball-up of the 12 months jars out marginally Freo’s means, and a scramble ensues for possession, Caleb Serong … cribs out the entrance of the competition.
It’s the last word gamble – if Hayden Younger, scrapping solo towards Noah Anderson and Alex Davies, can win it and get a handball clear, Serong is completely positioned to run to 50 and have a crack on the successful rating.
For 3 seconds he stays there, 5 metres forward of the play, till he eventually realises that Younger is shedding this combat, coming in to try to affect himself.
However he’s too late – Davies has gained possession, and given a handball to a free Rowell, who in his haste to try to go for the ball Serong has left free on the fringe of the fray. It’s Rowell who makes the decisive break, wobbling a left-foot kick that bounces inside 50.
Right here comes the obvious of the errors, and, because it proved, the most expensive of all – as Swallow gathers possession, Cox grabs him in a determined sort out laid with all of the would possibly he can muster. And realises too late that the ball has been jarred free.
It’s a holding the person free kick. And with 50 seconds left, all Swallow must do is rating and the Suns are house.
The ultimate drama of this September traditional might be replayed perpetually – Swallow launching from 50, simply clearing the pack on the aim line, wildly celebrating his supposed successful aim. The rating evaluate revealing Neil Erasmus had touched the ball on the mark whilst Optus Stadium collectively realised a behind with 9 seconds on the clock was extra deadly than a aim. A determined, fruitless lengthy kick-in from Luke Ryan. The contingent of travelling Suns followers going up as one as on-field, the group rejoiced in a well-known triumph.
Such are the high-quality traces in footy. Such is the margin between agony and ecstasy.
For 20 minutes, Fremantle had performed the proper ultimate quarter comeback.
However that simply makes the heartbreak on the finish of it all of the extra devastating.
