By Justin Chadwick
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir concedes his team’s late chokes have become a worry, but he’s backing his charges to learn from the painful lessons and nail the moment next time.
The Dockers’ top-four hopes suffered a huge blow on Saturday night when they slipped to an 11-point loss to Geelong at Optus Stadium.
Fremantle led by four points at the final change, but conceded three goals to one in the final term on the way to the 10.13 (73) to 9.8 (62) defeat.
Cats defender Mitch Duncan looks on as Jaeger O’Meara and Hayden Young celebrate a Fremantle goal.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
It came just a week after Fremantle coughed up a 25-point last-quarter lead on the way to a one-point loss to Essendon at the MCG.
Earlier this season, Fremantle blew late leads against Carlton and Port Adelaide in consecutive weeks, and they also let a lead slip against Hawthorn in Launceston a month ago.
“Of course it’s worrying. It’s five times. Clearly we don’t want that to happen,” Longmuir said.
“It says we’re putting ourselves in positions, though, and four of them were away from home.
“This is the first one at home and against a pretty experienced team.
“We were in front but it wasn’t by much, and it was pretty much an arm wrestle all game.
“It’s not like we gave up a massive lead. They were just able to outlast us in certain areas and make more of their opportunities than us in the end.”
Fremantle boast one of the youngest teams in the competition, but Longmuir isn’t sure if his side’s inexperience is to blame for the final-quarter fadeouts.
“It’s a bit of everything,” Longmuir said.
“A bit of execution. Maybe a bit of an age thing – we need to make sure we’re really organised and connected in those moments.
“In tight situations later in games, we haven’t been able to execute well enough.
“That will [be fixed] by getting to work at training and making sure that we drive a really high standard at training but also exposure to these situations.
Fremantle face flag contenders GWS and Port Adelaide in their final two games.
Win both, and they are still a chance to secure a top-four berth.
Eagles
Oscar Allen booted West Coast to a thrilling five-point win over North Melbourne yesterday, nailing a match-winning goal with 18 seconds left on the clock.
The Eagles kicked the final four goals of the match at Blundstone Arena in Hobart to stun the Kangaroos, who had led by 35 points in the third term.
Young Eagle Harley Reid takes a hanger over North’s Aidan Corr in Hobart.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Allen slotted five goals in the 15.12 (102) to 14.13 (97) win – West Coast’s second in a row under interim coach Jarrad Schofield.
North Melbourne appeared to have the game sewn up when Paul Curtis put his side up 96-77 in the 23rd minute of the last term.
But goals to Elliot Yeo and Allen got West Coast right back in the mix, before Jamie Cripps kicked a major with about one minute left.
Andrew Gaff marked just inside 50 with just over 30 seconds left and Allen picked up the scraps from his ensuing kick, snapping the winner.
The win was the 16th-placed West Coast’s fifth of the season, leaving the Kangaroos (17th) just one win above last-placed Richmond, who face St Kilda today.
Jeremy McGovern (25 disposals) was huge in defence for the Eagles, while Harry Sheezel (31 disposals) was among several Kangaroos who had strong games.
Sheezel played much of the match with a limp after copping a knock to his lower leg in the second quarter.
The Eagles started strongly, picking up the first two goals before the Kangaroos came to life late in the quarter.
Youngster Eddie Ford snapped a goal from a tight angle in heavy traffic before Toby Pink put his side ahead 26-21 with a major after the siren.
West Coast failed to kick a goal in a scrappy second quarter in which a spectacular flying grab from Harley Reid was a rare highlight.
Reid found himself in multiple scraps in a first half with tempers flaring several times.
North Melbourne’s Tom Powell helped his side get ahead 48-26 at the main break with back-to-back goals.
AAP