Defender Luke Ryan credited Fremantle’s midfield for not allowing St Kilda too many easy forward entries in Freo’s five-point win on Sunday at Optus Stadium.

Fremantle’s defence helped restrict the Saints to 66 points in the clash, led by the likes of Ryan, Joel Hamling and Alex Pearce.

Ryan took a league-high seven intercept marks in round three but the defender said these numbers aren’t achievable if the opposition have full control of their entries. 

It wasn’t until halfway through the second term when St Kilda won the first of their seven marks inside 50 for the game.

“There wasn’t any easy ball coming out of the midfield to us,” Ryan said.

“We just wanted to play the way they didn’t want. Not allow them to get over the back as their small forwards are in pretty good form and it’s a credit to the mids for not allowing it to get out easy.”

Ryan said that he was pleased to see the group galvanise after losing captain Nat Fyfe due to concussion in the third term. 

“At three-quarter time, Ross (Lyon) spoke to us and said 'we can either go down or we can keep working hard, hit around the ball and stand up for Fyfey going down',” Ryan said.

“I thought the midfielders did that, David Mundy, Sonny (Michael Walters), Reece Conca, and Andy Brayshaw - they did well.”