Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir says his team will acquire to still be company believers in themselves after following up their swish overcome Melbourne with a 14-level clutch in opposition to Brisbane.
Bailey Banfield turn into the unlikely hero with four goals on Sunday because the Dockers beat the Lions 15.9 (99) to 13.7 (85) in entrance of 47,214 fans at Optus Stadium.
Goalsneak Michael Frederick turn into additionally an essential with three 2nd-half of goals, whereas Rory Lobb took a series of grand marks to abet out with three majors.
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Andrew Brayshaw (39 disposals, 9 clearances) and Caleb Serong (31 disposals, six clearances) played big roles within the midfield, and the experiment of playing Griffin Logue (seven marks, two goals) in attack continued to pay dividends.
Fremantle have not played finals since 2015, but they are in point of fact firmly within the premiership frame following their swish 9-3 initiate to the season.
“They will acquire to still initiate believing,” Longmuir said.
“We acquire attain up in opposition to the two finest contested groups within the closing two weeks and we now acquire stood up in that fragment of the game particularly.
“Our footy stacks up. They’ve received some reliable proof of that. Nonetheless as a blueprint to beat the two top groups, they acquire to still in point of fact assume that our footy is correct enough, and that the processes we now acquire received in web declare online online are reliable enough.”
Zac Bailey kicked four goals for Brisbane and Charlie Cameron three, whereas used Docker Lachie Neale accomplished with 31 disposals and 4 clearances in a sturdy show cloak.
Banfield has technically played every sport this season, but virtually all of them acquire attain because the replace – both frail or unused.
The 24-one year-ragged made the most of his probabilities on Sunday, on the side of his three-fair burst within the third quarter proving an essential.
His steadying fair within the final quarter when he scooped up the bobbling ball on the flee earlier than snapping in point of fact turn into the most special of them all.
“The rub of the golf green doesn’t continuously sail his capacity with alternative, but he continuously puts the team first,” Longmuir said of Banfield.
“I don’t assume any of his teammates would realise how upset he’s commonly when he misses out. Nonetheless he retains rocking up, engaged on his sport, and he will get reward for effort on the novel time, which is extensive.”
The Dockers trailed by 13 points at quarter time.
Nonetheless Brayshaw’s swish 14-disposal 2nd quarter helped turn the tide Fremantle’s capacity, with James Aish (10 disposals, one fair), and Serong (11 disposals) additionally an essential within the fightback.
A pack imprint from Lobb helped spark a flee of three straight Fremantle goals, and tempers boiled over when Logue booted a essential from the goalsquare.
Shirts were ripped and headbands lost as virtually every participant on the self-discipline converged to have fragment within the melee. and tempers stayed frayed for the the relaxation of the period of time.
The Lions lost Darcy Gardiner all the blueprint by strategy of the 2nd quarter after he sustained a painful hit to the ribs in a marking contest.
The Lions closed to within 11 points early within the final period of time, but two clutch goals to Frederick, Banfield’s snap on the flee, and a prolonged-fluctuate bomb from Lobb helped seal the deal.
2d-positioned Brisbane (9-3) acquire now lost two of their previous three video games, but Lions coach Chris Fagan doesn’t assume this will likely turn into a pattern.
“We acquire had 5 away video games in seven weeks; gorgeous solid. Now not the correct fragment of fixturing I even acquire seen,” Fagan said.
“With any luck that means we catch a greater sail on the terminate of the season.
“Backside line is, we’re 9-3 and had some reliable wins on the avenue and some slim losses.”