‘They just might be broken’: Dockers embarrassed in loss to Saints

Justin Longmuir is arguably the most under-pressure coach in the AFL right now.

He admits that he’ll be asking some serious questions of himself after that performance.

“I think everyone at the football club at the moment should be questioning themselves,” he said.

“The first thing I look at after a performance like that, as any good leader should, is, ‘What did I get wrong?’, I’m not sitting here blaming the players. 

“I’ve got to look at my own performance this week and am I contributing to us being an inconsistent team, so of course I’m going to question myself.

“You can’t just sit here and say it’s all on the players.”

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir with some pointed words about his team’s performance tonight.

“I’m concerned about our consistency, absolutely,” he said.

“Whether that’s on emotion or not, I think it’s more on behaviour.

“When we get challenged early in games, I’m not sure we’re up for the fight. You can’t be that team.

“Clearly, our consistency has been not where it needs to be in the early part of the season.

“My main message to the players is, are we up for the challenge that an AFL season confronts us with because we can’t be the team that has high highs and low lows.”

A signature win for the Saints that comes right out of the Ross Lyon playbook.

The Saints simply strangled the life out of the Dockers tonight, even thought the Dockers’ offensive game wasn’t very inspiring throughout the match.

There will be some serious questions asked about Fremantle after this one. They’ve travelled to Victoria three times now and three times they’ve laid an absolute egg.

“There is a fragility still about them, and unfortunately it’s in their own minds as well,” says Jason Dunstall of Fremantle’s performance.

St Kilda’s efforts were led by Jack Macrae (38 disposals and 14 clearances), while Cooper Sharman was outstanding up forward with four goals.

Fremantle’s midfield was absolutely annihilated out there tonight.

The Saints won the clearance count 50-22, the contested possession count 151-103 and the inside 50 count 61-34.

Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong both held under 20 disposals, I wonder was when the last time that happened.

It looks like Tobie Travaglia is not going to have any game time tonight.

He’s got his arms tied on the bench with the sub t-shirt still on.

It’s raining goals for the Saints now in the second half!

Mitch Owens pounces on a loose ball and snaps beautifully over his left shoulder, what a lovely finish that is.

Owens has three tonight, he’s been at his brilliant best.

There is going to be some serious questions asked about this Fremantle performance. Justin Longmuir’s press conference will be very interesting.

This is incredible forward 50 defence from the Saints.

Around eight different players tried to clear that ball for Freo, and they just could not get away, and eventually the ball ends in the hands of Hugo Garcia, who snaps truly on the left foot.

The margin is now 55 points St Kilda’s way. It has been an absolutely filthy performance from the Dockers.

Jack Steele nails a set shot from 45m out directly in front after another lovely bit of ball movement in the lead-up from the Saints.

This has been an outstanding performance from Ross Lyon’s side, which now leads the clearance count 45-21.

The contested possession count is 140-97. I haven’t seen numbers like this in a long, long time.

Jye Amiss kicks his second goal of the quarter after the Dockers get a downfield free kick.

That was the first time all night Fremantle had some run and carry through the middle of the ground in the lead-up to that goal.

Amiss’ goal means Fremantle has a one-point lead over Cooper Sharman now. This is going to be a thrilling finish.

Cooper Sharman has four goals and once again retakes the lead over Fremantle!

Bradley Hill had a long kick inside 50 and Sharman takes another contested mark from close range.

He’s been absolute dynamite aerially tonight. Give him any chance to run and fly at the footy and he’s taking the mark.

Here’s what the Sharman vs Fremantle scoreboard currently looks like:

Sharman 4.1 (25) leads Fremantle 3.3 (21)

Jye Amiss has his first goal of the night and Fremantle’s third of the match.

The Dockers win a rare clearance as Serong and Brayshaw link up from a stoppage in the middle and the ball ends up in the hands of Amiss inside 50.

Amiss goes back and drills the set shot to give the Dockers a brief glimmer of hope.

There’s still plenty of time left on the clock. Can the Dockers string a few quick goals together?

It is all coming up Saints as Mitch Owens drills a set shot from an acute angle to extend his side’s lead to 45 points.

Owens found himself one on one with Fremantle captain Alex Pearce, and just nudged him under the ball to take a diving mark.

Owens bows to the crowd in celebration after that terrific finish.

He’s on the verge of being the second Saints player to outscore the Dockers by himself.

Garry Lyon has dished out some gems on Fremantle’s effort tonight, and here’s another at three-quarter time.

He’s got some real disappointed dad energy right now in the Fox Footy commentary box.

“That’s where this footy club are at right now, they think they’re trying and they’re not,” he says.

“The reason they’re not is the other side in red white and black have taken away their will and want.

“They (Fremantle) came here hoping to play a style of footy, and the other side said, ‘No, we’re not playing that way, we’re going to get you in the trenches and we’re going to work’.

“It’s been an embarrassing outing for Freo.”

The siren mercifully sounds and ends a quarter to forget in what has been a night to forget for Fremantle.

The Dockers are lucky to not be behind by more after Cooper Sharman missed a regulation set shot from directly in front 25m out from goal.

Sharman helped the Saints split the game apart by kicking three goals in the quarter, and he’s outscored the Dockers by himself.

It’s been a dirty, dirty night for Freo, but the Saints have been excellent, it must be said.

Wanganeen-Milera leads all players with 23 disposals while Macrae has 22 disposals and seven clearances.

Brayshaw and Serong have combined for 25 disposals and six clearances through three quarters, usually they have that amount each.

Cooper Sharman rips out the ’05 Jason Akermanis celebration after kicking one of the best goals you’ll see this season.

He’s being tackled by Josh Draper deep in the pocket and just flings the ball onto the boot and it dribbles through inside the left-hand goal post.

That is excellent. The Saints have completely split this game open now with four goals to one in the quarter.

“There’s no denying they’ve been out-toughed, that’s the embarrassing thing,” says Garry Lyon on commentary.

Sharman’s third quarter effort has outscored what Fremantle has done for the entire match. Let that sink in.

St Kilda splitting this game open a little now as Jack Higgins sets up a goal for Lance Collard from close range.

Fremantle slowly letting go of the rope here. Their midfield has been absolutely SMASHED tonight.

Take a look at these numbers, the Saints lead the contested possession count 109-73, the clearance count 34-13 including 7-1 in centre clearances and the inside 50s 42-27.

I reckon Justin Longmuir might tear some strips off the wall with the bake he’s going to give Freo after this one.

Garry Lyon calls the performance “listless” now from the Dockers.

He’s used just about every single negative connotation he’s got in his playbook tonight to describe this Freo performance.

That’s got to hurt for the Dockers. After scrounging and scrounging for a goal, St Kilda hits back right away.

It was a hacked kick inside 50 from Jack Macrae and it lands in the hands of the leading Cooper Sharman.

Sharman goes back and makes no mistake on the set shot and restores St Kilda’s 26-point lead.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir coaching from the bench at the moment.

Isaiah Dudley crumbs perfectly at the front of a big marking contest involving Jye Amiss, and that’s Fremantle’s first goal in a quarter and a half!

Finally some fast ball movement from the Dockers with Narkle, Bolton and Brayshaw combining to get the ball inside 50 before St Kilda’s defence could get set.

The Dockers have been smashed in the clearance battle where the Saints currently lead 30-12.

“I haven’t seen it that lopsided. 30-12, that doesn’t happen in modern day football,” says Jason Dunstall.

Cooper Sharman drills a fourth straight goal for St Kilda and the margin is out to a game-high 26 points.

“They just might be broken,” says Jason Dunstall of Fremantle’s effort.

The Dockers look really frustrated with each other after Sharman’s massive contested mark at the top of the goalsquare.

“This is now at the stage where it’s embarrassing, and the longer it goes, the more embarrassing it gets,” Garry Lyon adds.

“That can prompt one of two reactions – you go into your shell and start worrying about the fallout or you get a response.”