A dominant first-half display has ensured a comfortable 45-point AFL win for Fremantle over Gold Coast on Saturday.
The Dockers restricted the home team to just two goals in the first half to set up the 15.9 (99) to 7.12 (54) victory, which lifts Fremantle to a 4-2 record.
Michael Walters booted four goals for the undermanned Dockers, including three in the third quarter, as they made light of the absences of stars Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands and Nathan Fyfe.
A disappointing Gold Coast, coming off the back of their biggest win as a club last weekend against Greater Western Sydney, at least fought hard in the second half but couldn’t close the margin enough to worry the Dockers.
The hosts kicked three goals in the third quarter but every time they threatened to come back the Dockers hit back.
Young gun Jaeger O’Meara’s second of the match early in the fourth quarter sparked some hope but a dreadful error from defender Tom Murphy ended that surge as Hayden Crozier strolled in.
From there the Dockers weren’t headed, Chris Mayne booting a final goal after the siren to seal the win with ruckman Jonathon Griffin (3) and Crozier (2) the other multiple goal-kickers for the visitors.
Ryan Crowley played a big role in the first half by restricting Suns captain Gary Ablett to just 12 disposals for the term.
Ablett vented his frustrations by wrestling Crowley to the ground off the ball early in the second term, the subsequent free-kick sparking an attack which ended in the Dockers’ fourth goal of the game.
Jarrod Harbrow was one Sun to emerge from the game with credit, racking up a game-high 32 disposals but several Suns, including Aaron Hall and debutant Jesse Lonergan, failed to fire.
Last weekend’s six-goal hero against the Giants, tall Charlie Dixon, was also subbed off in the third term with an ankle injury to add to Gold Coast’s woes.