Epic clutch goal keeps Freo AFLW flag dream alive as 7371-day drought continues

Fremantle’s hopes of a maiden AFLW premiership remain alive after the Dockers disposed of Essendon to progress to the second week of November.

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In what marked the club’s first finals win since season six back in 2022 after missing back-to-back finals campaigns, Fremantle capitalised on momentum and the breeze to pull away late and prevail by 10 points in front of nearly 5000 fans.

Fremantle veteran Gabby O’Sullivan ensured that Essendon fans’ 7371 day to witness a finals win would continue, breaking the contest open in the fourth quarter with a long range strike in traffic.

Essendon led at the final break after a strong third term, kicking two goals to enhance its reputation as the third-best third quarter team this season. But it wasn’t enough of a lead to hold off the Dockers with the Fremantle doctor at their backs as Orlagh Lally gave the home side the lead and momentum after taking advantage from a free kick to Ebony Antonio.

While the Bombers never went away, the Dockers continued to grind away for four quarters and pulled ahead when it mattered courtesy of outstanding individual performances from Mim Strom (56 hitouts and 26 disposals), Gabby Newton (21 touches and 20 tackles) and Aisling McCarthy (20 disposals and 13 tackles).

The Dockers now face the Crows in a semi-final at Norwood Oval next weekend. Fremantle is undefeated on the road in 2024, winning all five interstate clashes by an average margin of 22 points.

Both sides had their fair share of injury concerns throughout the clash as the bruising nature of the contest left multiple players in the hands of trainers.

Star midfielder Maddy Prespakis was the first big casualty, ruled out late in the third quarter after pulling up sore with a cork early in the second.

Amber Clarke came from the ground during the third quarter after a sickening collision with teammate Ellyse Gamble, reminiscent of her clash with Boonie Toogood in the corresponding fixture against Fremantle in round one. Clarke was cleared to return.

Then early in the fourth quarter, Fremantle forward Amy Mullholland had her legs taken from beneath her in a marking contest and played no further part in the contest.

Essendon silenced the parochial purple crowd and threatened an upset in the first quarter, kicking two goals in the first quarter despite Fremantle’s dominance around the ground. The Dockers desire to squeeze the ground and sit high in defence came undone when Amber Clarke ran into an open goal.

Then teenage key forward Emily Gough, recalled in place of injured co-captain Toogood (ankle), doubled Essendon’s score with a clean strike from a 50m penalty. Gough competed strongly throughout.

Fremantle was otherwise dominant without reward, taking the lead in marks and uncontested possession despite the Bombers leading the AFLW in both categories this season.

Without her three best players for the bulk of the season in captain Ange Stannett (ACL), four-time best and fairest Kiara Bowers (pregnancy) and leading goalkicker Aine Tighe (ACL), Fremantle coach Lisa Webb has emerged as one of the AFLW’s leading tacticians this season.

In her first final as coach amid her second season at the helm of the Dockers, Webb got the best of out of Strom and also limited the influence of interceptor Madison Gay (16 disposals, seven intercepts) with the endurance of half-forward Phil Seth. Fremantle also prevailed 33-24 in inside 50s, 32-30 in clearances and 127-109 in contested possession.

The last time the Dockers faced the Crows in finals, they fell 14 points short of a maiden grand final berth back in 2022 at Adelaide Oval. The Crows went on to win the season six decider against Melbourne.

Fremantle and Adelaide have already met once earlier this season, the Crows comfortably accounting for the Dockers by 33 points in round two.

Too big too Strom

To stop the Dockers, one must stop Mim Strom.

But that was always going to be a difficult task for the Bombers without a recognised ruck after losing Steph Wales to an ACL in the final fortnight of the home and away season.

Strom has emerged as one of the competition’s best rucks and a leading candidate for the All-Australian team this season with an average of 35.5 hitouts and 16 disposals a game.

Back in her home state, makeshift ruck Matilda Dyke was handed the daunting task of trying to quell Strom’s influence with the help of Sophie Alexander and young forward Emily Gough.

But it was a fruitless task.

Strom led all comers at the main break with 14 disposals, the most on the ground. She also had 30 disposals until half-time, a remarkable figure given that she averages 35, and a goal after grabbing the ball out of the ruck deep inside 50.

By full-time, Strom had broken her own record for the most hitouts in an AFLW, beating her own previous benchmark of 48 to finish with 56 and 26 disposals.

Bombers blow

Essendon was dealt a massive blow in the second quarter when star midfielder Madison Prespakis came from the ground with a severe corkie.

The AFLW best and fairest pulled up sore from an uncontested mark on the wing and immediately came from the ground in pain with the support of a trainer. After some medical attention, Prepsakis returned to the field but didn’t make it through her first stoppage, immediately coming to the bench yet again.

Essendon spent the entire half-time break and early stages of the third quarter trying to get Prespakis back out on the ground but she was officially ruled out late in the third quarter. It didn’t impact the Bombers much in the third term, Essendon winning six of the last seven clearances late in the quarter as Daria Bannister gave the visitors back the lead.

Gay started the third quarter in the centre square before young defender Amy Gaylor replaced her in the fourth, attempting to lockdown Aisling McCarthy. Steph Cain and Georgia Nanscawen continued to have an influence in Prespakis’ absence.