Hopefully the rest of the competition was wearing brown underpants because Fremantle have demolished the once fancied Kangaroos to declare their intentions for the flag - those intentions are to win the bloody thing. Freo took the lead early and held it for most of the day before a late challenge got them angry and they set about not just beating but humiliating and demoralising the North Melbourne Football Club to the tune of 53 points. At the centre of their destruction was a 9 goal last quarter from the Dockers that rocketed them up the ladder and locked them into the finals - the only question now being which team will make the best stepping stone to a grand final. It was a display of football not seen at Fremantle since the heady days of 2010, with Sandilands spoon feeding Barlow and Mundy while a host of players queued up to kick goals. Making the win all the more impressive was that it was achieved without the reasonably handy Pavlich fella up forward. Many are now suggesting Pavlich is a drag on the ticket and will have to force his way back into the team through the WAFL.
Fremantle arrived in Melbourne to prepare for the game of their lives. This was it. The entire season, for many their entire careers, hinged on beating North Melbourne and securing a spot in the finals. From the President to the boot studder and all the way down to Zac Dawson, everyone’s future hung in the balance. To lose was sure to see Fremantle miss the eight after early promises of home finals and grand final parades...in other words, utter humiliation. To win could mean a soft finals run with a home game against the mugs up the road and a firming for the flag. It was the single most important game in the history of the Fremantle Football Club and the pressure was building like button on Michael Walters’ girdle.
And then ‘poof’ it all went away. Like modern day Rumpelstiltskins, the Gold Coast snuck in during the night and spun the once proud Carlton Blues into a football joke. Fremantle’s must win match became a chance to rest up and head back to Perth for one last thrashing of a dud football team and set themselves up for a flag.
Pavlich was the first to call it a weekend, he couldn't be arsed going out there so he sent McPharlin in as captain. McPharlin's first duty was the coin toss. 'Heads or Tails" called the umpire. "Couldn't care less" came the call from Luke at which point he wandered off and let them sort it out amongst themselves. ....Read More