Match

Fremantle vs St Kilda

Commentary / 02 Jul 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to Domain Stadium for the Fremantle v St Kilda Round 15 clash.
59:33
Outs for Dockers: S.Hill, S.Kersten, J.Deluca, C.Blakely
59:34
Ins for Dockers: B.Grey, A.Sandilands, N.Fyfe, E.Hughes
59:35
Outs for Saints: B.Acres
59:36
Ins for Saints: J.Steele
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
A win for the Saints this afternoon will solidify their position in the top eight sending them a game clear of the reigning Grand Finalists, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs. However the Saints have lost 11 of their past 12 interstate matches.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:29
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Aaron Sandilands)
03:02
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Brennan Cox)
04:17
Repeat forward 50 entries for Fremantle has resulted in the first two scoring shots of the match. They haven't been able to capitalise however kicking two behinds from their set shots, both taken from 40 metres out and straight in front of goal.
04:19
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Sam Gilbert)
05:40
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Hayden Ballantyne)
06:27
Dockers Interchange - Brady Grey off due to the blood rule.
06:42
The first goal of the game goes to Fremantle following a successful chain of possession originating from a stoppage. Fremantle has won the first two clearances, both resulting in scoring shots for the Fremantle forwards.
07:43
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Billings)
12:35
Goalkicking accuracy continues to haunt the Saints, with their first three scoring shots all missing the goals. The Saints are ranked last for accuracy in front of goal this season, with an overall accuracy of 50.6 per cent.
13:56
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jade Gresham)
15:46
Despite pulling up seemingly sore from a marking collision, Nick Riewoldt is back covering the ground strongly taking two early marks on the lead. Riewoldt averages just under three marks on the lead this year, ranked fourth in the competition.
16:29
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Newnes)
17:57
Dockers Interchange - Aaron Sandilands and is possibly out for the game.
18:24
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Lachie Neale)
20:45
The strong stoppage work of the Dockers continues to cause headaches for the Saints, with Fremantle leading the clearance six to three. Fremantle are leading the contested possessions by six and have also accumulated 25 more disposals.
22:13
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)
24:47
Aaron Sandilands has limped off the field and has immediately applied ice to his right hamstring. Sandilands has not played since round nine due to a hamstring injury, with Fremantle losing all four games that he missed.
25:14
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)
28:49
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
30:18
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Michael Walters)
30:35
Bradley Hill has had a busy opening quarter, winning a game-high 10 disposals at 80 per cent efficiency. Hill is averaging 23.4 disposals and over seven marks per match in 2017, both career-high results.
32:44
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
32:54
The Saints ended up having two more inside 50s than the Dockers, however poor accuracy sees them trail by 16 points at the first break. They lead the applied pressure acts by 15 resulting in five of their six scoring shots being sourced from turnovers.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:46
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Lonie)
02:52
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jade Gresham)
05:07
A fiery start to the second quarter has seen St Kilda managing to even the contested possession count after trailing by 10 in the first quarter. They have laid four more tackles with Jack Steele laying a game-high seven.
07:49
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Brennan Cox)
09:24
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jake Carlisle)
10:28
Just like the first quarter, the Saints are feeding off the Docker turnovers. Their first three scoring shots have all been sourced from turnovers, with Jimmy Webster leading the way collecting four intercepts.
13:49
Despite the ball being held in their forward half of the ground for nearly 70 per cent of the quarter, the Dockers have only managed one behind from this dominance.
13:57
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
15:26
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Hayden Ballantyne)
15:44
The dominant season of Michael Walters continues who has the second most disposals of the game with 12. His six contested possessions is an equal game-high, and he also leads allcomers in metres gained (345) and score involvements with six.
18:31
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jade Gresham)
18:54
Terrific forward pressure by Jade Gresham results in the third goal for the quarter for the Saints. The Saints have now booted four goals from sourced from forward half turnovers whereas the Dockers have only managed one from their respective zone.
21:43
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Sean Darcy)
22:43
Lachie Weller has increased his output for Fremantle after going disposal-less in the opening term. He has collected eight disposals this quarter and grabbed three marks. Weller averages 21 disposals this season, six more than his 2016 average.
24:29
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Billings)
26:38
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Brennan Cox)
26:43
Dockers Interchange - Tommy Sheridan off due to an injury.
29:44
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jake Carlisle)
29:55
It is goal-for-goal in this second quarter, with neither side being able to string together consecutive majors. The last eight goals of the match has been alternated between the two sides.
31:07
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Brennan Cox)
32:20
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
32:30
Fremantle has increased their scoring output in the last couple of weeks, with their two highest half-time scores of the season coming today and in their last round against Geelong. 26 first-half inside 50s today is their third most in 2017.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:50
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Hayden Crozier)
02:09
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)
03:31
Nathan Fyfe has been involved in both of the Dockers first two scoring shots this quarter. He leads Fremantle in pressure acts applied with 18, 10 of these being applied in the Dockers forward half.
04:06
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Steven)
07:24
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Michael Walters)
07:53
Fremantle have taken 35 more marks than the Saints, and have collected 42 more disposals. The Dockers have won all matches this season when they have won the disposal differential by more than five.
09:08
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
09:26
The Saints have managed 16 scoring shots from their 28 inside 50s at a conversion rate of 57 per cent. They are ranked third for scores per inside 50 this season, being one of only three sides to average a score on more than 50 per cent of their entries.
10:26
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Nick Riewoldt)
11:30
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Sinclair)
11:53
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Sam Gilbert)
13:03
St Kilda has forced 18 forward half intercepts resulting in 12 scoring shots. 37 of their 49 points has been sourced from forward half turnovers. The Dockers have forced 20 forward half intercepts for just six scoring shots.
14:24
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
15:29
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)
16:49
For the first time this match, the Saints midfielders are beginning to win control of the stoppages. They lead clearances six to two this quarter with Seb Ross and Jack Steven winning four between them.
17:09
Dockers Interchange - Brennan Cox off due to an injury.
22:08
The absence of Aaron Sandilands has given the Saints the advantage in the ruck, with Billy Longer controlling the stoppages. He has won five hit-outs to advantage this quarter and is the main reason for the Saints clearance resurgence this quarter.
22:22
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Jack Steele)
25:17
Saints Interchange - Sam Gilbert and is possibly out for the game.
26:08
Michael Walters stellar match continues, winning 10 disposals this quarter along with booting two goals to take his match tally to 25 disposals and four goals. He leads the match in contested possessions (13) and metres gained (475) too.
29:16
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Bradley Hill)
30:55
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Steven)
32:38
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
32:48
Despite the best efforts from St Kilda, Fremantle has continually held off all attacks from the Saints. Fremantle has been in front of the match for over 82 minutes, whilst the Saints have only enjoyed the lead for less than two minutes.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
03:19
After a strong VFL performance last week for Sandringham where he laid a team-high nine tackles, Jack Steele has carried this tough form through to the senior side laying a game-high 14 tackles.
05:26
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jake Carlisle)
06:58
Ethan Hughes is having a career-best game in his third season of senior football. In just his 16th career game, Hughes has grabbed an impressive 13 marks on his way to 26 disposals. He has sent the ball inside 50 four times for the Dockers.
08:17
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
10:42
The Saints are pressing hard, winning five of the first six clearances and recording seven of the first eight inside 50s for the final quarter. They now lead the match for the first time since the 17th minute mark of the opening quarter.
11:11
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Nick Riewoldt)
12:58
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Hayden Ballantyne)
13:50
After only grabbing two intercept marks in the third quarter, the Dockers have already taken five marks from opposition kicks in the final term taking their match tally to 18. They average 13.7 per match this year, ranked 11th in the league.
18:21
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)
18:30
It is now the Dockers turn to attack, with 83 per cent of the play being held in their forward half in the last 10 minutes resulting in the fifth goal to Walters and giving the Dockers the lead back.
19:38
This is the second time Michael Walters has kicked five goals in a match in his 108 game career. He has now kicked 16 goals for the season, with his biggest season haul coming in 2013 where he kicked 46 goals from 21 matches.
19:50
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
21:02
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Steele)
22:10
Sebastian Ross has reached 30 disposals for the tenth time this year. He is going at 78 per cent efficiency, has won five clearances, 10 contested possessions and 499 metres gained in a well-rounded performance.
24:02
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)
24:45
Michael Walters has booted through his career-high sixth goal from a string diving mark to give back the Dockers the lead by three points. This is the fourth lead change in this final term.
27:20
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
27:26
A brilliant congested snap shot for goal by Josh Bruce gives the Saints back the lead with less than two minutes of playing time to go. This is the second goal sourced from a stoppage for the Saints in the final term.
30:02
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Josh Bruce)
30:09
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
30:19
Two late intercept marks deep in his defensive 50 to Jack Billings has held off a final surge from Fremantle to give the Saints their eighth win of the season and firmly secure their position in the top eight.
30:20
This creates a very difficult scenario for the Dockers to make finals who now sit in 14th position. They are now two games outside of the top eight and host to a very poor percentage of just 80.3 per cent.