Fremantle do it again in MCG thriller over Demons

Fremantle may be making the MCG its home away from home after again claiming a major scalp at the famed venue.

Luke Jackson had a day out against his former club. Pic: Michael Klein

Fremantle has once again stunned the Melbourne Demons with a 12.7 (79) to 10.12 (72) win at the MCG.

The Dockers played as Walyalup against the Demons who played as Naarm as both sides played under the traditional Indigenous names of the areas they represent.

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But the Dockers pulled off another huge win over the Demons, just under a year since the corresponding clash last season.

In the 2022 clash, the Dockers won 14.10 (94) to 7.14 (56) in a shock result.

Interestingly, it was the only regular season clash the Dockers played at the MCG in 2022, before being knocked out in the second week of the finals to Collingwood.

The clash against the Demons was the first time since that loss the Dockers have played at the MCG, although the club is set to play against the Magpies in round 18 and Hawks in round 24 at the venue as the side pushes for another finals berth.

The Dockers have done it again. Photo: Michael Klein

The win sees Fremantle move to seventh on the ladder on the back of four straight wins, just a win behind the Demons who are hanging on to fourth spot, although the Western Bulldogs could push them to fifth with a win against the Suns on Saturday night.

Fremantle’s Luke Jackson stepped up when his side needed him most to clinch the stirring seven-point win over his former club.

The ex-Melbourne premiership player was showered with boos from Demons fans with his first few touches, but pockets of his old supporters made a point of applauding him as he toiled hard in a number of important roles before Sean Darcy limped off with a hamstring injury.

Darcy left the field midway through the second term, leaving the 21-year-old Jackson with the daunting task of facing Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn on his own, but the former Demon starred with an equal game-high eight clearances, seven score involvements and a goal as his side secured its third win on the trot.

A brilliant left foot snap from Kysaiah Pickett cut the margin back to two points with less than four minutes remaining, but Bailey Banfield responded immediately with a calm set shot finish.

There was no hard feelings for Jackson. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Late in the third quarter, Jackson followed up his ruckwork to strip Michael Hibberd of the ball and snap a goal around his body from 40m in a sensational play which gave the Dockers a then game-high 10-point lead.

The lead changed hands nine times before Jackson’s goal, but Fremantle kept its nose in front for the entirety of the last quarter as the Demons were left to rue a number of missed chances including an Angus Brayshaw set shot with a minute left.

The Demons’ second loss in a row raised serious question marks over whether they have corrected their forward half woes from last year, finding it difficult to score despite having 55 forward entries.

With Ed Bourke, NCA Newswire

Originally published as Fremantle do it again in MCG thriller over Demons