WINNERS ... MICHAEL WALTERS CELEBRATES THE DOCKERS VICTORY. GETTY IMAGES
ROSS Lyon said during the week there was nothing magical about finals.
The 43,249 long-suffering fans who crammed into Patersons Stadium last night to witness Fremantle’s finest moment in 19 years thought otherwise.
They will now hope the 25-point dismantling of Sydney in last night’s preliminary final can be topped at the MCG on Saturday as the Dockers take aim at a maiden premiership in a history-making debut Grand Final.
The 14.15 (99) to 11.8 (74) victory was chillingly executed by Fremantle, whose handling of the big stage suggests it won’t be overwhelmed in the big one.
The Dockers’ methodical and relentless game plan was made for a game like this and the extent of their control during the defining second quarter was awesome.
The team’s confidence comes through steadfast belief in what each player can bring to the team and it’s that belief in its method that will be the cause of some nerves in the Hawthorn camp this week.
While it was the buy-in from every player that underpinned Fremantle’s performance, it was also an occasion that saw the cream rise to the top for the Dockers.
Gun midfielders David Mundy (29 possessions) and Nat Fyfe (27 touches and two goals) were superb, while skipper Matthew Pavlich set the tone with two early goals.
Tagger Ryan Crowley not only destroyed Kieren Jack, who was restricted to just 11 disposals, but provided plenty of drive of his own with 22 possessions and a goal.
Like in the memorable qualifying final win in Geelong a fortnight ago, the ruck control of Aaron Sandilands and Zac Clarke was again significant and underpinned Fremantle’s clearance control.
Powered by 13 first-quarter touches from Mundy, the Dockers got on top early but dominated most of the opening term for little reward after hitting the post four times.
Fremantle went inside 50 17 times to Sydney’s seven, and while the home side controlled field position the Dockers were left to lament a series of misses from gettable set shots as they recorded 2.9 (21) for the quarter.
Dockers coach Ross Lyon said before the game that it would be a “battle of the minds’’ rather than a physical one Crowley duly obliged as he tried to get inside Jack’s head with a verbal barrage.
Crowley held Jack to four possessions for the opening term and had more sledging ammunition after he kicked truly from outside the 50m arc five minutes into the second stanza.
Coaches will tell you there’s no such thing as the perfect quarter.
But Fremantle got as close as you can in the second term as it effectively killed off the contest.
The Dockers barely lost an important contest as their pressure game completely overwhelmed the reigning premiers, extending the margin to a commanding 39 points by the major break.
It was a margin that was flattering for the Swans. Jesse White’s late behind was Sydney’s only possession inside 50m and only score for the quarter.
Pavlich’s second goal kick-started a run of five unanswered majors as the Dockers belatedly found their kicking boots to get some scoreboard value for their domination.
Prime midfielders Jack and Daniel Hannebery had just two touches each for the quarter as the visitors’ on-ball brigade copped a hammering from Mundy, Fyfe, Crowley and Co.
The Dockers won the possession count 115-60 for the term and the contested ball tally 41-26 as they turned the screws.
The supreme half-hour of footy was acknowledged by a standing ovation as the Dockers came from the field at half-time.
The Swans lifted around the ball in the third term and gave hints of a revival, with Luke Parker getting their first goal since the opening quarter and veteran Jude Bolton kicking truly with his first kick for the game.
It was Fremantle needing to counter-punch and Michael Walters was on hand to provide a touch of class as he snapped his second goal before pulling down a screamer and finishing to become the game’s leading goal scorer.
The Dockers continued to answer every question put to them, going goal for goal as substitute Lachie Neale got on the scoresheet.
By the final change, Fremantle had not only weathered the storm but extended its lead to 43 points.
Final-term goals to Michael Barlow and Nick Suban fuelled the frenzied atmosphere.
Sydney strung together five consecutive majors once the sting had gone from the game, although crowd favourite Hayden Ballantyne’s late major provided a fitting exclamation point.
The Mexican Wave came out as the realisation hit home that the MCG will be turned purple on the last Saturday in September.
