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Posted:
2024-05-24 09:42:37
Walyalup/Fremantle captain Alex Pearce kicked an unlikely late goal as the Dockers launched a frenetic fightback to post a thrilling draw with Collingwood in Perth.
The Magpies looked to have Friday night's match sown up after Bobby Hill's goal with just under eight minutes remaining gave the visitors a 25-point lead.
But goals to Bailey Banfield and Hayden Young — plus a controversial goal to Sean Darcy — put the Dockers within reach before Pearce took a sliding mark and kicked truly to cut the margin to a point with one minute and 49 seconds remaining.
The Dockers had a chance to win the match, but Jeremy Sharp's 25-metre shot on the run with 47 seconds remaining could only manage a behind.
The Magpies surged the ball forward and had two ball-ups in their forward 50, but the Dockers' defence held firm.
The Dockers finished level with the Magpies, 11.9 (75) to 10.15 (75).
Pearce said his move forward late was a "set play".
"You just throw a bit of caution to the wind," he told ABC Sport after the match.
"I'm always one to put my hand up. I actually told Luke Ryan early in the quarter that I was a bit sore and he might have to go and he said, 'No skip, you've got it'.
"So, I've got him to thank for putting me in that position."
When taking the kick for goal, Pearce said he was thinking of former Dockers teammate and close friend, Cam McCarthy, who died earlier this month aged 29.
"It has been tough," Pearce told the Seven Network.
"A couple of weeks ago, it was a really hard game (against the Swans) to get through.
"I was nervous going back when I had [the kick for goal]. My hands were a little bit shaky and I did think, 'Cam would kick this'.
"I was happy … it was for him."
The result marked Collingwood's second draw this season, following on from its Anzac Day stalemate with Essendon.
Adding to the disappointment for Collingwood is the fact that Mason Cox and Brody Mihocek look set to join the club's lengthy injury list.
Cox's leg bent awkwardly backwards and bore the brunt of his entire weight as he came crashing down in a third-quarter marking contest.
He also looked to have suffered a hefty head knock during the contest and was later subbed out of the match.
Mihocek, who was playing his first match back from a hamstring injury, went off in the fourth quarter.
The Magpies said Mihocek left the match for "hamstring awareness" reasons.
Collingwood already entered the match missing Jordan De Goey, Jamie Elliott, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Tom Mitchell and Jeremy Howe among others.
Nick Daicos led the way for Collingwood with 35 disposals and 10 clearances, while former Docker Lachie Schultz was booed every time he touched the ball on the way to 15 disposals and 0.1.
Banfield finished with three goals for Fremantle.
The Dockers entered the match with big question marks over their goal kicking accuracy after returning 13.33 over the past fortnight.
But it was Collingwood who had the wobbles, kicking 3.9 in the first half.
Collingwood entered the quarter-time break up by a point, but the big talking points of the term revolved around Fremantle spearhead Jye Amiss.
Amiss, who kicked a wayward 2.5 last week, put his first shot out on the full — a tough 50-metre set-shot near the boundary.
His next set shot — from 45 metres almost directly in front — sprayed to the left.
And Amiss was again in the spotlight in the dying seconds of the term when he gave away an off-the-ball free kick while grappling with Charlie Dean.
The Dockers were rebounding the ball out of defence when the reversal was paid, with the somewhat questionable decision allowing Collingwood youngster Harvey Harrison to kick his second goal of the term as the siren sounded.
The second quarter was a slog until Fremantle blew it open with a three-goal burst.
The Magpies kicked five-goals-to-nil in the third quarter to snatch the momentum, and they looked to be cruising in the final term.
But in the blink of an eye Fremantle snatched back momentum.
Collingwood's Lachlan Sullivan gave away a free kick when he handed the ball to a teammate instead of the umpire when a ball-up was called.
Darcy nailed the ensuing free kick, before Young and Pearce popped up for goals to set up the draw.
AAP
Look back at how the match unfolded in our blog.
That's a wrap. Thanks for joining us for such an interesting match!
Justin Longmuir says he's proud of how the players fought, but there are some areas of the game that are "inconsistent" that need ironing out.
"The message after the game to the players was that when our mindset was in the right space, we challenged them, but there was a 40-minute patch where we became safe, didn't trust ourselves," he said.
"We're a team that wants to be known as a never-say-die team, and I think that was on display tonight."
Up next for the Dockers is Melbourne in Alice Springs, while Collingwood now have a seven day break before facing the Bulldogs.
Injury update: Cox and Mihochek
Collingwood coach Craig McCrae says Mason Cox, who was subbed off field just before half time, has concussion and possibly bone bruising.
The Pies ruckman had his leg trapped under him in a marking contest.
"Brodie (Mihochek)'s just got signs of hamstring awareness strain (sic), I'm not sure, so we'll work through that."
McCrae on the "Umpire dissent" free kick
"I'm looking forward to what the AFL tell us about that, because I wasn't aware that was a free kick, but clearly it is... We'll move on."
Collingwood's coach Craig McCrae speaks about the result
McCrae says he expects any Collingwood fans watching at home would have been proud of tonight's effort, as he is.
And he's not worried about his side's second late fade-out in as many weeks.
"If you look at the detail of it, that's two weeks in a row where we've had our key forwards out of the game. The same thing happened last week. We've got Ed Allen playing his first game as a key forward against (Alex) Pearce, so we're scrapping, and I'm really proud of that."
More from Alex Pearce
"That first half we played some really good footy and it looked like us, and then in the third quarter we were on the back foot, lost contests," the Dockers captain tells ABC Sports's Akash Fotedar.
Pearce said his move forward late was a "set play".
"You just throw a bit of caution to the wind. I'm always one to put my hand up. I actually told Luke Ryan early in the quarter that I was a bit sore and he might have to go and he said 'No skip, you've got it.' so I've got him to thank for putting me in that position."
A listener's given us the specific rule that cost Collingwood
John of Coburg, Victoria has texted in to ABC Sport that "the rule is a very technical one", referring to the "Umpire dissent" rule.
18.8.2 A field Umpire shall award a Free Kick against a Player or Official who (among other things):
(e) fails to follow the instruction of an Umpire; or
(f) intentionally or carelessly engages in conduct which affects, interferes with or prevents an Umpire from performing their duties.
"Very technical. It is there, but it's a very technical rule to cost a team a goal. I'm not sure it's in the spirit of the way the rules are designed," says Clint Wheeldon.
"If I'm a Pies fan, I'm flithy about that."
FT: FREMANTLE 11.9.(75) DRAWS WITH COLLINGWOOD 10.15(75)
In all the excitement I forgot to post the final score!
A few contentious moments from this match. Was Sullivan not giving the ball back to the umpire "Umpire dissent"? The ABC Sport team is divided. It resulted in the second of Fremantle four goals to end the match.
Did Isaac Quaynor touch Bailey Banfield's third goal (the first of that four-goal run)? It was given the OK.
And let's not forget that goal Collingwood's Harvey Harrison kicked on the quarter-time siren, after a free kick against a Fremantle player a hundred metres away from the play.
A lot to think about from this match.
Darcy Moore: "It feels pretty terrible"
"(The draw) is a funny feeling, second time in a few weeks... It feels pretty terrible after we let that one slip," says the Collingwood captain.
"Full credit to Freo they took their chances late."
Reminds me of this yarn after Collingwood's last draw.
Alex Pearce with some stirring words post-match
The Fremantle captain tells Channel 7 his late friend and teammate Cam McCarthy was with him when he scored the game's massive last goal.
"A couple of weeks ago was a hard game to get though and I was nervous going back when I had it.
"I did think 'Cam would kick this'.
"We feel we've been playing good footy and not being able to get the results. I think we're maturing and I think this showed in that last quarter."
Third draw of the season
In the final 30 seconds, Collingwood can't manage much more than to get it in their forward half and tackle Jaeger O'Meara.
What a match. Fremantle reigned in Collingwood after the margin got out to 25 points early in the last quarter, and then they had a chance to win in late, but Jeremy Sharp missed in the final minute!
It's Collingwood's second draw of the year.
In the absence of either side song, "Land Down Under" blares out over the loudspeaker.
It's a point! Scores level
Dockers get it down the ground.
Banfield handpasses to Sharp in the forward fifty...
He misses!
The Dockers could be headed for their third ever draw. Under a minute left!
Close games seem to follow Collingwood... one point ball game
Huge contested marks to Heath Chapman and then captain Alex Pearce sees the latter have a shot on goal.
He kicks just the fifth goal of his career, and the Dockers are back within a point.
Two minutes to go. Take a breath everyone...
Here come the Dockers!
The margin is back to seven points.
Hayden Young snaps a goal from the pocket after a chain of handballs from his Fremantle teammates.
Can Collingwood hang on despite being down to two men on their bench? Three minutes to go.
Free kick in Fremantle's forward 50, ruckman Sean Darcy kicks the goal
And just like that, Fremantle is back within 13 points.
The reason for the free: Collingwood's Lachlan Sullivan gave the ball to Nick Daicos at a ball-up, and not the umpire.
The teams are trading goals here
A turnover by Fremantle in their defensive half sees Wil Parker kick deep into Collingwood's forward 50.
Bobby Hill marks just before the behind line, and snaps home another.
Bailey Banfield gets his third goal for the Dockers a minute later.
Collingwood injuries piling up
Brody Mihochek is done for the night, it's just been confirmed.
The forward joins Mason Cox on the sidelines.
A much-needed goal for the Dockers
Bailey Banfield gets his second goal after a marking an Andrew Brayshaw kick. Good forward half-turnover from Fremantle.
That's Fremantle's first goal in this half, from its first forward 50 entry this quarter.
Collingwood by 19.
Crisp extends Collingwood's lead
A neat kick by Nick Daicos into Collingwood's forward line is marked by Jack Crisp, who goes back and calmly slots the goal from 45 metres out.
By the way, there's a crowd of 54,035 in the house tonight, a record for a non-derby non-final for a Fremantle home-game.
Reigning premiers claimed the "premiership quarter"
What a quarter from Collingwood.
Brodie Mihochek kicked two of their five goals that quarter, and created contests that set up other goals - at times competing against three defenders.
Is it enough for them to clinch an impressive away-win and keep their unbeaten run since Round Three going? We're about to find out.
