FREMANTLE has been made to pay for a prolonged second-quarter lapse, losing to the Brisbane Lions by 22 points at the Gabba.
The visitors were greeted by a fine Brisbane afternoon as they attempted to win at the Lions’ home ground for the first time in history.
But despite being the better side through the first 40 minutes and highly competitive after half time, Fremantle couldn’t break through for a second win of the season, eventually going down 14.12 (96) to 10.14 (74).
Rhys Palmer had another fine outing for Fremantle, amassing 30 disposals and kicking a superb goal. Michael Johnson had 30 possessions and 15 marks, many of them taken while back-tracking to fill the hole in front of Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw.
At the core of the result was a 20-minute burst in the second term, during which the Lions were able to kick five unanswered goals in the lead-up to the long break.
After a Josh Carr goal gave Fremantle the lead seven minutes into the quarter, Mark Harvey’s side endured an error-riddle patch in which Kepler Bradley, Matthew Pavlich and Palmer all missed kickable opportunities.
The Lions battled to convert opportunities of their own at the other end but with Jonathan Brown in sublime touch, the home side was able to turn a two-point quarter-time deficit into a 28-point half time lead.
Brown’s first of the game came in slightly controversial circumstances from point blank range, with the big forward’s initial set shot from 45m drifting right – only for Dean Solomon to be ruled to have gone over the mark and a 50m penalty awarded.
Brown marked miraculously 30 seconds later and converted from outside 50m before Michael Rischitelli defied the odds to outmark two Fremantle players and stretch the Lions’ lead to almost five goals.
The match looked all but over as a contest when the Lions kicked the opening two goals of the third quarter, but Fremantle hung tough and actually outscored their hosts for the remainder of the contest.
Twice in the third term Pavlich outmarked Joel Patfull in one-on-one contests and kicked truly. Palmer’s brilliant conversion from hard on the boundary line after the three-quarter-time siren meant Fremantle went into the last quarter only 25 points in arrears.
Even though Justin Sherman goalled within a minute of the re-start for the Lions, the margin was further reduced to 19 points when Aaron Sandilands and Pavlich provided almost instant replies.
But the Lions steadied with a major to Jamie Charman, and the contest was effectively ended.
Aside from Palmer and Johnson, Carr battled strongly for Fremantle, with Tarrant working hard and Pavlich increasingly influential after half time. Sandilands started the game brightly, as did Jeff Farmer, while Chris Mayne gave a glimpse of his potential in the final quarter.
The Lions were led by the phenomenally consistent Simon Black (28 possessions), with Travis Johnstone (three goals) an invaluable contributor and Brown, Tim Notting, Luke Power, Joel Macdonald and Jared Brennan also in good form.
Brisbane Lions 2.1 8.5 11.10 14.12 (96)
Fremantle 2.3 3.7 7.9 10.14 (74)
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Brown 3, Johnstone 3, Black, Notting, Rischitelli, Notting, Corrie, Sherman, Charman, Leuenberger, Harding
Fremantle: Pavlich 3, Farmer 2, Palmer, Mayne, Carr, Tarrant, Sandilands
BEST
Brisbane Lions: Black, Macdonald, Brown, Johnstone, Rischitelli, Brennan
Fremantle: Palmer, Mi. Johnson, Pavlich, McPharlin, Bell, Mundy
INJURIES
Brisbane Lions: Drummond (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Leuenberger, Bradshaw (hamstring), Harding (knee).
Fremantle: Drum replaced in selected side by Thornton
Reports: Black (Fremantle) reported for wrestling with Selwood (Brisbane Lions); Selwood (Brisbane Lions) reported for wrestling with Black (Fremantle); Black (Fremantle) reported for striking Selwood (Brisbane Lions)
Umpires: Stewart, Ellis, Jeffery
Official crowd: 24,506 at Gabba
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
