Fremantle combined with Sydney and Melbourne to put together a 16 v 16 game on Sunday morning at Cazaly’s Stadium in Cairns.

There was a Fremantle team and a Sydney team, with Melbourne splitting their players between the two teams. The match was played over six periods of play in total, comprising of three thirds with a short break halfway through each.

SIMON EASTAUGH’S PLAYER REPORT
It was a really hard-fought effort by the boys to get up after a slow start to the first two periods, and we were able to get away with a strong win in the end.

Bailey Banfield played forward for the game. He really came into it with his size as a small/ medium forward and was able to present for us really effectively. He was probably one of the more creative players in setting up team mates to score.

Stefan Giro played on the wing and worked really hard. He was a really important connecter for us from defence into our attack. He later played forward and was instrumental in setting up a couple of late goals.

Liam Henry played forward for the game and I really liked his attitude on both sides of his game, his tackling pressure and his ball use, in particular finding a player free. Kept things quite simple which was nice to see. He kicked a nice goal as well, his multiple efforts to attack or to defend was a significant step forward for him.

Travis Colyer was really important player for us across half forward and his speed really stood out. His creativity with ball in hand to set up scoring opportunities and his ability to lower his eyes and hit the lead up target was a real feature in his game. That was his first full hit out since coming back from a hamstring, so it was a really important run for him, and he looks like he’s ready to go.

Jarvis Pina was really neat with his ball use off half-back and he was probably one of those players that, into the breeze in particular, was able to find a free target which was important for us to not get pinned down in our D50 when we were kicking against the wind.

Leno Thomas won some really important one-on-one contests, his speed to close down the lead but also to body up and fight was a real stand-out. He showed the offensive side of his game that we’ve been working on with that that run and carry off half back and ability to find a target inside forward 50. He took a big step forward today by giving a more overall polished performance.

Brandon Matera kicked five goals and probably should’ve had six. He really got to work both in the air and on the ground, he presented hard at the kicker. His multiple efforts to get back up for the footy he got some real reward for and he was probably the difference up forward for us and helped us get the win.

Hugh Dixon down back had some real talented players to play on, including Oscar McDonald who had only just got dropped from Melbourne’s AFL team. His body work was fantastic behind the footy and he had some really composed moments with ball in hand to steady the ship down back and enable us to get out of D50.

Luke Valente in the midfield worked his way into the game. He probably didn’t start as well as he’d like to, but after the first period he really got to work and was important in turning around our fortunes in the midfield. Sydney’s midfield were probably on top in the first 10 minutes and Luke, Connor Blakely and Tom North all pulled their socks up and got to work and started to win the footy back for us which was pivotal to us getting back into the contest. Luke’s composure with the ball in hand was a real feature.

Connor Blakely put in some real grunt work around the contest and was really prepared to take the game on with the footy off half back, he got us some good overlap run and was able to help us get good field position.

Tom North was a bit similar to Valente, he took a bit to get going but once he did his inside body work was important and his competitiveness around the loose ball to ensure we won the contest went a long way to help us win the game

KEY MOMENTS
Period 1&2
The first two periods of the match were dominated by Sydney as they won the clearance battle comfortably and hit the scoreboard. Tom North was clean below his knees and Stefan Giro looked strong early in the contest. Hugh Dixon looked composed in defence early, working the ball out well.

Period 3
Travis Colyer and Liam Henry’s tackling pressure was strong in Fremantle’s forward half and Brandon Matera took a couple of strong grabs, making sure to finish off his work in front of goal.

Period 4
Travis Colyer once again looked dangerous, showing off his pace to deliver a nice ball from the pocket to Bailey Banfield and also kicked a goal on the run himself. As a team, this is where Freo really started to work into the game, getting on top in the clearance battle and driving the ball forward. Leno Thomas had some good one-on-one battles with his opponent and really worked hard.

Period 5
Freo’s ability to use the width of the ground in this period was a standout, with one piece of play in particular seeing the ball move from half back through Giro, Thomas and Pina, across the ground and down the wing to find Brandon Matera on the lead where he kicked his fourth goal of the game.

Liam Henry also had an excellent passage of play to finish the quarter, putting in three or four different efforts to surge the ball down the wing and inside 50, running past two players to receive a one-two from Bailey Banfield and kick a goal from inside the goal square.

Period 6
Travis Colyer and Brandon Matera continued to work well with each other in the forward line and Luke Valente showed his strength around the contest earning himself a great holding the ball free kick after an impressive tackle at half back.

Check out all the best photo's from the scratch match in the gallery below.