Apologies to those scant few of you who regularly read my blog - a heavy workload during the week has prevented me from telling of my second journey to AAMI Stadium before now.  It's certainly not that the first Freo win I have seen on the road this year has struck me dumb!

While the announcement before the game that Pav's long run of consecutive matches had come to a surprising end may have sent shudders through many members of the Freo faithful, it actually made my feelings about the game ahead more bullish.  With astonishing cleverness, Harves and the coaching staff had hyped Rhys Palmer's knee all week, allowing Pav's knee problem to go completely unnoticed and I knew it would catch Port's defence off guard.  And it did.

The team seemed determined to prove to the critics that Fremantle is not a one-man band; this despite me seeing some evidence to the contrary at numerous points this year!  But fittingly, there was no one member of the team who stood out above the others, and none which noticeably played poorly.  The fact that all but 6 of them kicked a goal demonstrated this evenness perfectly.

I suppose if two players spring to mind to mention, it would be two targets of my wrath in earlier rounds who have rebounded magnificently - Ryan Crowley and Byron Schammer.  Crowls has blossomed into a fine tagger who can still attack with potency when required, and of all our middle tier players he is the one with the most leadership potential in future. 

And I was delighted that Byron played a great 100th game in his home state...Peter Bell's retirement has benefitted him more than anyone else, as his unsure handling and occasional yips are much less worriesome when he plays as a tough inside player digging the ball out for Palmer and company.  He looks so much more settled now, which can only be a good thing.

One thing that worried me was our start, which seemed to be a carbon copy of Melbourne's the week prior.  And sure enough, Port gradually came back to stick their noses in front early in the third.  So many times this year I have seen Freo struggle psychologically at such a moment, but to their immense credit, this time they dug in and powered on to win handily.  This may explain the mood of satisfaction but not jubilation from the team...they know, as we do, that had we done this in the first seven rounds we wouldn't be 14th. 

As for the conditions - well, if Freo can play Melbourne and still draw 31,000 to Subi, I don't know how just over 19,000 people can be something the Power can be proud of.  It's probably the only game all year where I sat totally by myself, and is quite a damning indictment on Port supporters.  And aside from the infamous AAMI flukey breeze, there was an enormous black cloud hovering in the first half which I was certain would result in wet weather footy after half time...but it simply went away.  Very strange. 

Overall, it was an interesting and largely enjoyable game to watch.  Anyone who gripes about a lack of defensive pressure should go watch the Saints game again.  There were a number of freaky goals, and for once these were manufactured by both teams.  Brett Peake's long bomb simply took off on the breeze in a manner reminiscent of Heath Black's bullet goal in the 2006 Qualifying Final, and I am incredulous at just how David Mundy got a clear shot in (are his time warping powers starting to return???).

All this, and I got to see two CEOs for the price of one.  Hopefully this game becomes a sort of psychological breakthrough for the Harvey era, in the same way our victory in Adelaide last year ushered it in.  And as a final win on the road after many fruitless trips for Shaun McManus, it was priceless.  If this is what Steve Rosich has in store for us, more power to him!

Games against The Enemy are usually close run affairs these days - but if we can't lift ourselves for our last original in his final appearance, this column will be absolutely filthy come this time tomorrow.

Freo forever!