Read up on some of the key stats and talking points from Fremantle’s nine-point victory against Port Adelaide on Sunday at Optus Stadium.
Has Cox turned a corner?
It seemed there was nothing Fremantle could do to convert a shot on goal with a run of nine consecutive behinds between the second and third terms. The silver lining was seeing Brennan Cox hold his nerve and break the drought as the pressure mounted with every Fremantle set shot.
Cox stopping the rot was crucial, with Freo kicking 7.2 following their 0.9 run.
After looking anything but confident in front of goal in his debut season, where Cox kicked 4.11, the impressive forward had turned his fortunes around with 15.7 so far this season.
With two goals against the Power, Cox has now kicked multiple goals in his past three games.
Coming of age
Almost half (10) of Fremantle’s starting 22 had only 30 games of AFL experience or less, compared to Port Adelaide’s two.
With an average age of 23.88, only Gold Coast (23.65) and the Western Bulldogs (23.74) fielded a younger team, while Port Adelaide’s average age of 26.07 was the second oldest behind West Coast (26.39).
QT turnaround
Fremantle trailed by nine points at quarter time but it looked even more grim on the stats sheet.
Freo were getting monstered in the contest, with Port Adelaide – the AFL’s no.1 clearance team – leading the clearances 20-4 and the contested possession count 55-29.
It was a completely different game from the second term, as Freo won the clearances 32-18 and contested possessions 120-100 for the final three terms.
Leading the way
Freo’s leaders helped will their team over the line with starring performances from Lachie Neale and David Mundy.
Neale helped Freo get on top in the contest with 18 contested possessions and nine clearances, while Mundy delivered a vintage all-round performance with 29 disposals, 10 contested possessions, eight inside 50s, five tackles and a goal.
Ryan’s flying
It’s hard to get anything past Luke Ryan these days. The mobile defender took six intercept marks against the Power and was key for Fremantle’s ball movement with 710 metres gained, seven rebound 50s and five inside 50s.
Youth bring the pressure
Fremantle’s younger players bought in on stifling the Power.
Four of Freo’s five leading tacklers were first or second-year players in Bailey Banfield (9), Adam Cerra (8), Stefan Giro (6) and Brennan Cox (6).
Freo’s was immense particularly immense up front, laying 50 tackles in their forward-half – four more than any other AFL team in round 17.
Five Fremantle players ranked in the top-15 for forward-half tackling in round 17, through Cerra, Giro, Banfield, Cox and Cam Sutcliffe.
Rookies roll on
Fremantle’s first-year rookie players were instrumental against the Power.
Banfield started every term in the centre bounce and looked the goods in the contest with 12 contested possessions and six clearances to go with his game-leading nine tackles.
Giro put up his best AFL performance in his sixth start, with 19 possessions and four inside 50s.
