THE WESTERN Bulldogs have kept their unbeaten run alive with a thrilling come-from-behind win over Fremantle at Subiaco Oval.
Adelaide recruit Scott Welsh kicked the winner as the Dogs surged back from three goals down in the final term to win 17.12 (114) to 17.9 (111) and keep Fremantle anchored in the bottom three.
Freo broke away with a five-goal-to-two third quarter, but the Dogs hit back in a high-quality and desperate final term.
Fremantle led by 18 points when Jeff Farmer goaled with nine minutes gone in the final term, but two minutes into time-on, Welsh put the Bulldogs in front.
The final minutes were played almost exclusively in the Dogs’ half as the visitors poured on the pressure across half-forward, but skipper Brad Johnson missed three chances to put the result beyond doubt.
Twin spearheads Matthew Pavlich and Chris Tarrant fired with four goals each for the home side, while Jason Akermanis continued his fine season with two goals and a string of telling possessions for the Dogs.
The first quarter was an entertaining shootout, with six goals apiece and the margin never exceeding eight points.
Jason Akermanis gave the Dogs a one-point lead with a kick after the siren at quarter time, and the visitors carried the momentum into the second term.
Akermanis added another and Will Minson made it three straight goals for the Dogs to create a match-high 13-point gap.
But Freo struck back through David Mundy and Chris Tarrant, and Matthew Pavlich answered Akermanis’ feats with his own after-the-siren kick to give Fremantle the lead at the long break.
Tarrant and Pavlich again had a say as Freo opened up a 14-point lead early in the third term, and David Mundy
Both sides made late changes, with Fremantle bringing in Brett Peake for ball-winner Andrew Foster, and the Bulldogs replacing Tim Callan with Tom Williams.
Western Bulldogs 6.3 9.4 11.8 17.12 (114)
Fremantle 6.2 9.5 14.8 17.9 (111)
GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich, Tarrant 4, Peake 2, Bradley, Ibbotson, Mundy, Palmer, Solomon, Crowley, Farmer
Western Bulldogs: Murphy, Akermanis 3, Cooney, Welsh, Giansiracusa 2, Eagleton, Hahn, Hudson, Minson, Johnson
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Akermanis, Griffen, Cooney, Eagleton, Murphy, Giansiracusa, Cross
Fremantle: Bell, Black, Bradley, Tarrant, Pavlich, Palmer, Peake
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Tim Callan replaced in selected side by Tom Williams
Fremantle: Andrew Foster replaced in selected side by Brett Peake
Reports: Nil
Umpires: James, Jeffery, Keating
Official crowd: 35,624 at Subiaco Oval
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
