It loomed as a good, old-fashioned “danger game” for the Dockers, who finished clear on top of the ladder, but no one could have predicted just how thoroughly they’d be outplayed by Sam Mitchell’s men in their qualifying final at Optus Stadium.
uncertain
they → loom → Stadium
Our experts, AFLW star Libby Birch (Dockers) and Scott Spits (Hawks) rate every player’s performance from a stunning night out west.
asserted
experts → rate → night
He worked his way into the contest after a quiet start, but never exerted his usual influence around stoppage.
asserted
He → work → stoppage
Didn’t help the midfield play to the conditions.
asserted
midfield → help → conditions
4/10
(5) Heath Chapman: Provided important drive from an under-siege defence, although he was beaten in the air in some costly moments.
asserted
he → provide → moments
He started slowly and his early possessions lacked impact, but lifted after half-time to inject urgency and kick a much-needed goal.
asserted
possessions → start → goal
6/10
(9) Luke Jackson: Kicked the opener, competed strongly around the ground and was Fremantle’s second most influential player through the first half.
asserted
Jackson → kick → half
7/10
(10) Shai Bolton: He was barely sighted early on a night that should have suited him, before providing flashes of energy through give-and-go football after half-time.
asserted
that → suit → time
Valiant and unrelenting under sustained pressure, he read the play well and producing several important spoils.
asserted
he → read → spoils
The youngest player on the field looked composed around stoppage and was clean when opportunities came, but he struggled to impact in the second half.
asserted
he → look → half
5/10
(18) Mason Cox: Struggled to impact early as Jackson’s ruck support, but improved as the game wore on and took important defensive marks.
asserted
game → struggle → marks
4/10
(23) Karl Worner: Produced a huge chase-down tackle and a goal-saving smother, but an errant kick that gifted Hawthorn a goal proved costly.
asserted
that → produce → goal
He gave it a crack.
asserted
He → give → crack
He was frustrated and largely unsighted in the first half, but gave Fremantle an immediate lift with the opening goal after the half-time break.
asserted
He → give → break
3/10
(25) Alex Pearce: Battled hard against Mitch Lewis and offered a strong presence in a defence that was repeatedly placed under pressure.
asserted
that → battle → pressure
His early ball use was uncharacteristically poor and he struggled to generate his usual damage through the midfield.
asserted
he → struggle → midfield
4/10
(28) Neil Erasmus: One of Fremantle’s better early contributors, using the ball with purpose and looking through the corridor when others played safe.
asserted
others → use → corridor
A surprise inclusion for just his second game of the year, he competed bravely on Watson before an ankle roll contributed to another Hawks goal and his night done.
asserted
night → compete → goal
5/10
(32) Michael Frederick: Was unable to find space or use his speed, remaining largely unsighted.
asserted
Frederick → find → speed
He fought a difficult battle against Hawthorn’s organised defence but had little impact and went without a single kick deep into the third term.
asserted
He → fight → term
2/10
(39) Sam Switkowski: He had a brilliant third quarter and kicked a huge goal to give Fremantle a (slight) sniff – the first finals major of his career.
asserted
He → kick → career
(43) Isaiah Dudley: Missed an early opportunity but grew into the contest, improving his defensive pressure and contributing to Fremantle’s second-half ball movement.
asserted
Dudley → miss → movement
He can point to kicking the first goal of the final term, giving Hawthorn a match-high 38-point lead, for his golden moment.
asserted
He → point → moment
He overcame a shoulder injury scare just before half-time.
asserted
He → overcome → time
Look back to the early minutes of the game, when the action was hot, and Lewis pulled off a great run-down tackle and earned a free kick.
asserted
Lewis → look → kick
It was hard to find fault with his game as Hawthorn’s defence shone brightly all the way.
asserted
defence → find → game
Lively and dangerous from start to finish, he kicked a goal out of nowhere – Hawthorn’s first – after just six minutes.
asserted
he → kick → minutes
A pillar in Hawthorn’s brutal defensive unit all match, he completely nullified Voss’ danger and influence, especially in the first half when the win was set up.
asserted
win → nullify → half
Composed and reliable, this was a true leader’s match.
asserted
this → compose → ?
He kicked Hawthorn’s second goal – again when the match was up for grabs – but it was his work-rate that stood out.
asserted
that → kick → grabs
“That workrate is as good as it gets,” reflected Kane Cornes on Seven, noting Moore’s ability to run hard back at goal.
asserted
Cornes → get → goal
6.5/10
(9) Connor Macdonald: Got better and better as the match wore on, and had some influence in the third term when Hawthorn had to keep the threatening Fremantle at bay.
asserted
Hawthorn → get → bay
By early in the final quarter he only had kicks – not handballs – on the tally board, showing just how much the Hawks rely on his foot skills.
asserted
Hawks → have → skills
5.5/10
(12) Will Day: One of Hawthorn’s best, who effectively became “the Clearance King”.
asserted
who → become → Hawthorn
Like others, Day got better and better as the game wore on and never stopped running.
asserted
game → get → others
He went one-on-one with Brayshaw at stages and won the battle.
asserted
He → go → battle
(15) Blake Hardwick: Went to the dangerous Reid early on.
asserted
Hardwick → go → Reid
Hawthorn basically didn’t have a passenger in their 23, and Hardwick deserves recognition too.
asserted
Hardwick → have → recognition
5.5/10
(16) Massimo D’Ambrosio: Had a fantastic game and was influential (especially in the first quarter) when the game was being won.
asserted
game → have → quarter
While he missed two shots at goal in the opening stanza, he dragged in nine touches as he regularly found space with his hard-running.
asserted
he → miss → running
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
