AFL: Young and hungry Dockers ambush Collingwood

Collingwood left Perth with their season on the slide on Sunday night after being ambushed by a young and hungry Fremantle.

Young Docker Caleb Serong closes in on Collingwood’s Taylor Adams on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images

Collingwood left the Perth hub with their season on the slide on Sunday night after being ambushed by a young and hungry Fremantle, losing a thrilling clash at Optus Stadium by 12 points.

The Dockers bounced back from a scoreless first quarter, lifting their intensity, spanking the Magpies in the midfield, and holding their nerve in a grandstand finish to win 10.1 (61) to 7.7 (49).

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First-year midfielder Caleb Serong was immense for the Dockers, upstaging the Magpies’ big names to finish with 24 possessions and nine clearances to announce himself as a future star.

Power forward Matt Taberner persisted to finish with four goals, while captain Nat Fyfe returned from injury and played forward for the majority of the contest, with his team still winning the clearances 45-30.

The loss for the Magpies, who used the ball poorly and couldn’t stand the Dockers’ pressure, rounded out a poor Perth leg of the season that has their premiership credentials under question.

Being handed run-with roles in the past two matches has helped Serong showcase his talents and justify early comparisons to former Docker Lachie Neale.

On Sunday night, he went straight to Taylor Adams and worked off the consistent Magpies on baller.

The 179cm midfielder was excellent in the second quarter when the Dockers made their move, racking up 10 possessions, four clearances and using the ball at 80 per cent efficiency.

He was a long way to go to catch Brownlow Medal favourite Neale, but it is clear the Dockers used their pick No. 8 in last year’s national draft wisely.

NCA NEWSWIRE