Fremantle Dockers ruckman Jonathon Griffin said Freo’s clearance work to begin the first and final quarters against North Melbourne played a crucial role in the 31-point loss.
 
North Melbourne kicked the first four goals of the game, and won the clearance count 13 to six in the final quarter, and Griffin said it did a disservice to the Freo defenders who had their hands full with the Kangaroos big men.
 
“They started really well at the centre bounce and in the last quarter around the clearances as well,” Griffin said.
 
“It gave them some easy inside 50s, which put the pressure on our defence, so it’s something we’ll address throughout the week.”
 
Kangaroos tall forward’s Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown proved to be key contributors to Freo’s loss, combining for seven goals during Sunday’s game.

Lyon post-match Q & A: Rd 4 v North Melbourne

Griffin said the talented big men were given too many opportunities due to Freo’s inability to tighten up around the clearances.
 
“They launched and took some really good marks,” he said.
 
“They’ve got some really talented tall forwards and if you give them the opportunity, they’re going to get to work.”
 
Despite the disappointment of the loss, Griffin was confident that Freo were on track to putting together four quarters of good football sooner rather than later.
 
“It was disappointing but we had our chances,” he said.
 
“There was an opportunity to win the game but we didn’t quite get it done.
 
“But we’re not too far away from playing some really good footy.

“We showed in patches that the stuff we’ve been working on like our ball movement can be really good.”