Michael Walters breaks Brisbane hearts with after-the-siren behind to seal victory for Fremantle
Michael Walters and Fremantle stole victory from Brisbane in a dramatic finish in Perth, with the Dockers forward kicking a behind after the siren to clinch the result that puts the Lions back to the pack as the top eight heats up.
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Docker Michael Walters has broken Brisbane hearts with an after-the-siren behind to give his side a one-point victory at Perth Stadium.
Brisbane slip to sixth on the ladder after the 10.13 (73) to 10.12 (72) result in front of 36,389 while the Dockers return to the top eight — equal with the Crows on five wins, a game behind the Lions.
The Lions have felt the agony and ecstasy of close finishes in the past week having broken Adelaide heats with a one-point victory at the Gabba last week.
Brisbane talk of the leadership and on-field coaching veteran Luke Hodge provides and it was a surprise when he was on the bench in the dying moments when Walters found the space to seal the victory.
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It was also Walters who broke an 18-minute goalless period in the final quarter to drag the Dockers to within two points of the Lions who had led for the majority of the day.
Fremantle had dominated possession and field position for the term but Brisbane’s defence had been resolute until Walters marked on the lead and duly converted.
It dragged the Dockers to within two points and a rushed behind and a missed set shot to Brennan Cox levelled the scores.
It set the stage for a dramatic finish when Walters marked from a perfect pass from Ed Langdon with 16 seconds to go.
He calmly allowed the cock to wind down knowing a point would secure victory. The shot, from about 40m out on a 45 degree angle hammered into the post to give the Dockers their fifth win.
Once again Brisbane will walk away from a narrow away loss knowing four points had slipped through their fingers.
They dominated the first half and the one point half time lead was a poor return.
Harris Andrews was superb for the Lions.
He smashed high-profile Dockers recruit Jesse Hogan, collecting 15 possessions and taking 10 intercept marks.
Fremantle continued to send much of their attacking raids through Hogan but he could not find a way past the Lions vice-captain and finished with a disappointing eight disposals, all handballs.
Hogan was involved in the multi-club swap that delivered Lachie Neale to the Lions and Steven May to Melbourne.
Clearly the Lions are winning out of that trade at the moment and even though it wasn’t his greatest game for his new club, Neale was still influential.
Brisbane dominated the centre clearances and Neale was the primary architect.
He finished with 26 possessions and eight clearances on his return to Perth for the first time.
ANDREW HAMILTON’S FIVE THINGS
1. RED time scores are Brisbane’s biggest headache. On Sunday they allowed goals or behinds in time on of every quarter, including the one that cost them the game — Michael Walters’ after-the-siren behind.
2. HARRIS Andrews must surely be back in All-Australian contention. He was in the squad last season even though he missed four weeks after being knocked out by Jeremy Cameron. He missed two matches this year also but is back in superb form as an intercepting defender.
3. LACHIE Neale left his old supporter base with sore throats. He got booed every time he touched the footy. It wasn’t his most prolific outing but his centre clearance work was superb.
4. THERE’S tension and then there’s a final quarter at a venue like Perth where the home side trail by under two goals and, despite dominating field position, cannot score. For 18 minutes the Dockers crowd were on the edge of their seat until finally Michael Walters put one through.
5. CHARLIE Cameron silenced the Dockers crowd with three goals in the first 20 minutes on Luke Ryan. It also forced a reshuffle of the Dockers’ defence that proved decisive. They started to roll players through him, even using 195cm key position defender Joel Hamling at times. They muscled him out of the game and he did kick another goal for the next three quarters.
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