Analysis: Fremantle’s defensive, low scoring mindset is costing them in close games

Fremantle has a forward line that is the envy of most teams but still refuses to fight fire with fire. We examine why the Dockers’ defensive mentality has proven costly already this year.

Fremantle has always prided itself on its team defence. That’s its prerogative.

But now with a forward line finally capable of taking its chances, the Dockers are still reluctant to fight fire with fire.

“We want a game where it’s 70-60 and it’s low scoring and we win,” midfielder Hayden Young told media on Monday.

“This year, we’ve improved our ball movement but sometimes it’s come at the cost of our team defence so we’ve got to find the balance.

“If you can restrict a team to 60 points, you’re probably going to win. Ideally, you want to score 100 points but it doesn’t matter. Four points is four points.”

In a competition where scores are trending higher and teams are gravitating towards fast football, Young said the Dockers don’t want to partake in shootouts. That’s despite finally boasting a forward line capable of kicking a score.

In one off-season, the Dockers have discovered Murphy Reid, a first-round draft pick with an abundance of talent who has a bag of tricks deeper than Mary Poppins. Reid has played all six games so far for a return of seven goals and an average of 14.7 disposals.

Fremantle also added premiership forward Shai Bolton in the trade period. Everyone knows what the All-Australian forward is capable of and after an interrupted pre-season, we’re starting to see why the Dockers parted with two first-round picks to secure him.

Shai Bolton’s addition has given the Dockers added firepower.

But not taking enough risks in attack has proved costly.

Despite playing one less game than his peers, Bolton ranks second for score involvements and goal assists at Fremantle. He’s almost taken mark of the century more than once this season and he’s good for at least a goal a game.

Add in SSP signing Isaiah Dudley who has kicked four goals in four games, two of which he started as sub, and Fremantle finally has a group of forwards that can take their 50/50 chances.

You can’t underestimate the importance of finishers. For a long time, Michael Walters has been Fremantle’s best. Sam Sturt has shown glimpses. But in the pair’s injury-enforced absence, Bolton, Reid and Dudley have stepped up.

Add in Coleman medal chance Josh Treacy and Fremantle’s forward line is suddenly a scary proposition, something we haven’t said of it all too often in the past few years.

It poses a challenging question. Is Fremantle willing to concede more in order to score more?

“Not from the clips we saw yesterday,” senior coach Justin Longmuir said.

“There’s opportunities and controllables in the game that we just didn’t get right.

“I don’t think if we’re getting the defensive aspect right, we’re giving up anything offensively. We actually probably gain a bit to be honest because we’re winning the ball back in our front half rather than relying on end-to-end chains.

“We get criticised for being a defensive team at times but I think our fans would’ve liked us to have been a little more defensive on the weekend and kept a low-scoring team to under 100 points. We’ve lost our defensive identity at times.”

Twice in six games, the Dockers have conceded more than 100 points. That only occurred three times across the entire 2024 season.

In 2025, the Dockers are currently averaging 90.3 points for and 86.3 points against. Last year, when Fremantle narrowly missed finals, it was 85.4 points for and 76.3 points against. A 10-point difference for the opposition would’ve been handy in losses against Melbourne (10 points) and Sydney (three points).

In 2022 when Fremantle last made finals, it averaged 79 points for and 67.5 points against.

Everything Young said is true. When firing, the Dockers are an outstanding defensive unit. But what the 70-60 desired scoreline fails to consider is Fremantle’s record in close games.

Since the start of 2024, Fremantle is 1-7 in games decided by less than 12 points. A capability and will to score freely is required in those moments.

Josh Treacy celebrates a goal.

Murphy Reid has given the Dockers added punch in attack.

Porque no los dos? Why can’t Fremantle tighten up defensively yet maintain a functioning forward line? The last 20 premiers have all been in the top six for points allowed, while 18 of 20 have also been in the top six for points scored.

“Our offence shouldn’t come at a cost to how we want to play defensively but I think it’s important to note that our priority is to be a team that’s really tough to play against,” forward Sam Switkowski told this masthead.

“Our offence has definitely improved.

“We’re making more of the chances we get inside 50 but I think pretty simply, we’re not nailing our defensive game plan as well as we have in the past.

“I love the (defensive) mentality. My priority is never really thinking about kicking goals, as funny as that sounds to lots of people as a forward.

“The strengths I bring to the team in my role are creating turnovers, pressuring the opposition and making it really hard for them to clear the ball from our forward 50. That’s where my focus is.

“We’ve been working for a number of years under JL to play a brand of footy where teams find it really hard to score against us. If that means we win games with a lower score, it certainly doesn’t bother me.

“Everyone on the team is on the same page. We’re not a team that wants to play Russian roulette or have a goalkicking competition with the opposition. If it gets you the four points, we’ll take it.

“It’s a positive we’re scoring more but we can’t be reliant on that.”