Analysis: Effort and intensity no match for Port Adelaide as Fremantle suffer 16-point loss

Fremantle looked like a team that has thrown everything at season 2023 for very little reward against Port Adelaide, writes ELIZA REILLY.

Jye Amiss tried his hardest. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Fremantle looked tired.

Not quite as tired as the tri-panel, early 2000s away jumper the Dockers reprised for Retro Round. But Fremantle looked like a team that has thrown everything at season 2023 for very little reward. The Dockers very briefly came to life in the final quarter. But not even a boisterous home crowd could get Fremantle over the line.

The difference against Port Adelaide was skill and class. Young teams struggle to maintain both across four quarters. And the longer the contest went on, the more the game took on a teal twinge.

Port Adelaide weren’t at their absolute best. But they didn’t need to capitalise on Fremantle’s lapses.

You can forgive the Dockers for wanting to farewell their home fans and attempt to take something into next year. But too often Fremantle took on a kick that wasn’t there, held onto the footy for too long and struggled to connect going inside 50. The Dockers entries were consistent but shallow or wrongly placed.

Poor decision making. Poor execution.

Fremantle’s effort was there, but they didn’t get the result. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Fremantle’s effort was there. It has been all year. It’s just deflating when you don’t get fully rewarded for it.

Caleb Serong should. The vice-captain has announced himself as Fremantle’s next captain this year on the back of a career-best season. He was brilliant again and his stoppage craft has taken a big step forward, winning a career-high 12 clearances. He has to be an All-Australian.

Jye Amiss might but it’s now unlikely after a quiet finish to the season. It’s incredible to think that Amiss, who has kicked 38 goals this season as Fremantle’s key forward in just his second season, isn’t the favourite for the Rising Star. But realistically he needed another two bags in the final fortnight of the season after Harry Sheezel racked up 37 disposals on Saturday. Amiss looks tired and he deserves to be after having Aliir Aliir for company for most of the match.

Tom Emmett did get rewarded. At age 21, the mature age draftee is one of the feel good stories of the season. Emmett has already gone through more than most footballers will across an entire career, overcoming cancer as a teenager. When he got through that, a sliced achilles and broken collarbone were waiting. It was clear he didn’t want to waste a minute.

Emmett’s first goal was pure forward craft. Held in a race to the ball, he converted a set shot. And he scored again in the final term after being caught high. Opportunistic free kicks you could say. But you don’t get them without putting yourself in a position to be rewarded and Emmett’s pure will to fight for the footy was a sight to behold.

Tom's moment 😌#AFLFreoPower#foreverfreopic.twitter.com/c9sXSjVfD0

— Fremantle Dockers (@freodockers) August 20, 2023

His goal gave Fremantle the slightest sniff in the final quarter, reducing the margin to 16 points with plenty of time to play after Sam Switkowski kicked the Dockers’ first of the final term. But Darcy Byrne-Jones second goal of the quarter snuffed out a brief resistance and Port Adelaide took the chance to slow the game from there.

The third quarter followed a similar script. Port Adelaide kicked three goals to Fremantle’s one. The Power took control of contested possession, winning the count by 17. It was their equal second-best quarter this season. The Dockers had their chances but couldn’t convert.

It would’ve been a four point margin at halftime had Bailey Banfield’s mid-air karate kick not grazed the arm of a Port Adelaide defender. The goal umpires were understandably trigger happy on the goal review after the debacle in Adelaide on Saturday night.

Fremantle took a one-point lead into the first break after Hayden Young missed a tough chance after the siren. The Dockers deserved the lead, no matter how narrow, after putting Port Adelaide’s defence under considerable pressure with 15-7 inside 50s.

A change in approach gave Fremantle an early advantage. The Dockers wanted to dictate the game and did so through uncontested possession. This year, Fremantle have averaged 20 uncontested marks a quarter. In the first term, they completed 36.

Freo did a lot right when it came to contested territory. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

It afforded Fremantle two things: control of the game and Port Adelaide’s counter attack and predictability.

The Dockers first goal was something we’ve seen plenty of this year. Michael Frederick, always a threat, won a holding the ball free kick inside 50. He converted. Then Luke Jackson did the same from range and from an angle to give Fremantle the hot start.

Port Adelaide hit back with the next two goals to even the ledger, making the most of limited opportunity. Connor Rozee put in an early nomination for the goal of the game, kicking over his shoulder in serious traffic.

Fremantle otherwise did a lot right when it came to contested possession and territory, winning its fourth first quarter this season. But the lead could’ve been bigger if the Dockers made the most of their opportunities.

Originally published as Analysis: Effort and intensity no match for Port Adelaide as Fremantle suffer 16-point loss