Dockers Deliver Finals Return as Bulldogs Left Clinging to Hope
Fremantle fans can finally breathe again. After a nerve-racking finish to the regular season, the Dockers have locked in a place in the 2025 AFL finals, breaking a drought that stretched back to 2022. The stage was set at Marvel Stadium, where everything came down to their clash with the Western Bulldogs — and what a game it turned out to be.
It didn’t start pretty for Fremantle. The Bulldogs opened strongly, dominating the inside-50 count and getting the first shots on goal. Aaron Naughton even managed a spectacular soccer-style goal that had to be confirmed on review. Early on, it looked like Luke Beveridge’s men were ready to run away with it. But momentum in footy can shift in a heartbeat, and the Dockers showed exactly why finals football is built on resilience.
The turning point came in the second quarter. Fremantle slammed home seven unanswered goals, completely flipping the contest on its head. The Bulldogs were kept goalless for nearly 45 minutes of game time while the Dockers piled on eight straight majors across the second and third terms. Jye Amiss sparked the comeback with some crafty finishing, while Josh Treacy and Patrick Voss brought raw aggression and presence inside 50, each finishing with three goals. Their forward line suddenly exposed the Dogs’ defensive frailties, and Marvel Stadium tilted firmly purple.
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At the other end, Fremantle’s backline stood tall. Alex Pearce shut down Sam Darcy, Brennan Cox kept Naughton quiet after his opener, and Luke Ryan marshalled the defence with authority. It was the kind of balanced performance that coach Justin Longmuir has been demanding all year — and after weeks of criticism about his system, he was rewarded with one of the most important wins of his tenure.
The Bulldogs did rally late, booting seven last-quarter goals to cut the margin to 15 points, but the Dockers were never truly headed. Fremantle’s 17.10 (112) to 14.13 (97) victory not only secured a finals berth but also delivered a strong statement: this team can absorb pressure and respond when everything is on the line.
The triumph was about more than just one match. It was redemption after last year’s August collapse, when four straight losses cost them a finals spot. It was also validation for Longmuir, who had been labelled the coach under the most pressure earlier this season. After sitting 4-4 and suffering heavy defeats, questions were being asked. Now, with 16 wins, he has silenced the critics and given Fremantle supporters hope that something bigger may be brewing.
And then there’s the Nat Fyfe story. Subbed on in the final term, the Dockers champion still has a chance — however slim — to finish his career with the premiership medal that has long eluded him. Few players deserve it more, and with Fremantle finally back in September action, that dream remains alive.
For the Bulldogs, hope is faint. They’ll need other results to fall their way to sneak in. For the Dockers, though, it’s simple: they’re in the finals, they’ve rediscovered belief, and they’re daring to dream.
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