AFL 2022: All the news, scores and reaction out of Fremantle v Hawthorn

For more than a moment, it looked like Hawthorn would upset Fremantle on its home deck. Saner heads eventually prevailed for the Dockers, leaving Hawks’ coach Sam Mitchell frustrated.

Brad Elborough

5 min read

June 11, 2022 - 9:34PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Young guns Caleb Serong and Jai Newcombe impressed for their respective teams. Picture: Getty Images

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Hawthorn threw everything into trying to spoil the return to AFL action of Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe on Saturday afternoon.

For all but the last 10 minutes of their clash at Optus Stadium on Saturday, they looked capable of causing an upset win.

But the wind could almost be seen leaving the sails of the Hawks challenge when Conor Nash missed an almost unmissable shot at goal with only nine minutes remaining.

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Young guns Caleb Serong and Jai Newcombe impressed for their respective teams. Picture: Getty Images

Luke Breust’s second goal moments later got the margin back to six points, but the Dockers had momentum.

The Dockers again rode on the shoulders of Andrew Brayshaw in the final quarter, who collected 13 touches for the term and kicked an important late goal in the 13-point win.

It left Hawks’ coach Sam Mitchell with a sour taste in his mouth.

“I’m pretty frustrated,” Mitchell said.

“We did a lot of things well today.

“We’ve had some challenges across the course of the year, and today threw up some different ones.

“We actually won centre bounces for the first time for the year, but then they kick 4.4 against our centre bounces.

“We get the ball inside 50, 61 times, but we can’t put them away.

“A different set of challenges. I guess that’s to be expected with a growing group, but that doesn’t make it less frustrating for me.”

Dockers coach Justin Longmuir was impressed with how his team adapted to the Hawks’ pressure.

“We overused the handball; we were disjointed and had players down on form,” he said.

“We managed to fight our or way out of it.

“I don’t know if we were the better team on the day, but we got the win and sometimes that’s what you have to do.

“It’s not perfect and not pretty. But good teams need to find a way to win.”

Freo gun Andy Brayshaw had a mountain of the footy. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Fyfe, playing his first game since round 19 last year, had 21 touches in a scratchy return, his game highlight a goal kicked off the ground in the goalsquare in the third quarter.

There was nothing spectacular about the goal, other than it was the sixth for Fremantle in a dominant term.

After beating top sides Brisbane and Melbourne in consecutive weeks, maybe Fremantle found it tougher to get up for this game.

Perhaps having Fyfe back in the side did impact the way the Dockers midfield worked together.

Nat Fyfe enjoyed victory in his AFL return. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

In fairness, the 13th placed Hawks head into the bye with wins over Geelong and Brisbane and losses by fewer than four goals to Carlton, Melbourne, Collingwood, Richmond and now the Dockers.

Longmuir said he didn’t think the return of Fyfe impacted the Dockers’ midfield.

Andrew Brayshaw (37 touches) and Caleb Serong (33) certainly weren’t inversely impacted by having their skipper back on the ground.

“I don’t think what happened today was on the back of him coming into the team,” Longmuir said.

“Hawthorn came with a focus to hunt us and put us under pressure.

“I thought he was rusty, but I expected that; he expected that.

“It’s a good one to get under the belt. Clearly, he’ll get better.”

Fremantle have a bye now before meeting Carlton at Marvel Stadium.

Tom Mitchell accumulated plenty of ball for the Hawks. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Hawks turn the tables

Fremantle may have picked up some big scalps in recent weeks, knocking off the Demons and Lions, but they have looked vulnerable for the past month.

And for a lot of Saturday’s clash, the Hawks were able to play them at their own game.

The pressure the Hawks brought the contest saw them scored 5.2 to 0.1 from turnovers in the opening two terms. That method of scoring is how Fremantle finds itself entrenched in the top four on the table.

Jaeger O’Meara was the best of the midfielders early and he helped the Hawks record the biggest score to halftime against Fremantle this season.

They had 8.4 (52) on the board at the main break and held a 10-point lead.

“I think you watch today’s game and you say, ‘Hawthorn are a team that you’d be proud to barrack for, because they have a go’,’ Mitchell said.

“Certainly we’ve improved. We’ve lost the last two games in a much better manner than the week up in Darwin against Gold Coast.

“We would like to be winning more games.

“(Fremantle) had to play well to beat us. They had a little bit more polish, more game sense, and more nous in key moments of the game. But I couldn’t question our players.

“I thought they genuinely to a man left it all out there today. We’ll go into this well-earned rest … they deserve the break.”

For the fifth week in a row the Dockers have trailed after the first two quarters.

In 108 AFL games played this season, 23 times teams have won having trailed at halftime. The Dockers have now had to do it three weeks on the trot.

Caleb Serong was the catalyst in that third term, as the Dockers midfield got going.

And Michael Walters kicked the first two goals of that magic term, as he continues to try to kick start his season.

Nat Fyfe got through his return to footy unscathed. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Welcome back Fyfe

The return of Fyfe had to impact the way Fremantle midfield.

They have been working well together for most of the past three months without the dual Brownlow medallist on the ground.

Having the skipper back didn’t impact the way Brayshaw and Serong played, the pair collecting 37 and 33 possessions respectively.

But Will Brodie’s game clearly suffered.

The former Gold Coast Sun has averaged 30 possessions a game in the past five weeks and has figured large in discussions around the being the best recruit of the season.

Whether starting on the bench upset his momentum, or having the extra rotation didn’t work for him, it took Brodie time to adjust.

He had eight touches to halftime and did recover to finish with 21. He picked up his rating in the second half when Fyfe spend more time in attack.

Fyfe also collected 21 possessions and took only one mark.

But he’ll be better for the run and can only be a plus for the Dockers, who are in this season up top their eyeballs.