Fremantle has dramatically staved off a threatening Adelaide surge on Good Friday night, prevailing 11.12 (78) to 11.10 (76) at Adelaide Oval.
In a game-saving moment with mere seconds remaining, Dockers skipper Alex Pearce smothered James Peatling’s shot at goal to ensure the visitors walked away victors.
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The Dockers led by as many as 34 points at the nine-minute mark of the third quarter — but from there it was all Adelaide, who hit the front early in the final term and for all money looked destined for the four points.
The home side edged ahead at the seven-minute mark thanks to Taylor Walker’s trusty right boot, before skipper Jordan Dawson extended their lead to 10 points.
But the Dockers had an answer, with Shai Bolton and Josh Treacy — whose dribbling major was mesmerising — goaling to regain the advantage with a bit over six minutes plus time-on left.
Fremantle hung on for dear life from there, thwarting several Adelaide forays forward in the waning moments.
Peatling led the charge in the third quarter with 11 disposals, five clearances and a goal in the term alone. He finished with a game-high nine clearances with 25 possessions.
Fremantle was led admirably by Caleb Serong, who tallied a game-high 32 disposals with six clearances and six score involvements.
THE 3-2-1… (with Will Faulkner)
3. ‘THOUGHT WE WERE DONE’: SKIPPER’S HEROIC ACT GRACES ADELAIDE OVAL… AGAIN
It was a tale of two halves at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, It was Fremantle’s to tell before the main break, then Adelaide, and then the Dockers’ valiant skipper with a mic drop that called the game with 18 seconds to play in a Good Friday thriller.
The Crows were coming hard in the second half, and looked unstoppable at times as they turned a 34-point deficit 10 minutes after halftime, into a 10-point lead in the blink of an eye.
With the pressure cooker rising as the final siren loomed, the Crows desperately bombarded their attacking 50 with high ball after high ball with little success.
Then, with their absolute last entry, on-baller James Peatling got a handball receive just inside the arc, and snapped hard with the outside of his boot towards goal for one final roll of the dice.
Enter, Alex Pearce.
The star key defender smothered Peatling’s kick before anyone could truly get a read on the kick’s trajectory, and Fremantle subsequently bagged their third-straight win on the trot heading into Gather Round.
Speaking to Fox Footy on Adelaide Oval post-game, Pearce was ever-humble reflecting on the result.
“I’m just so proud of the boys. We played some really good footy for most of that game — I thought we were on top for most of it — but obviously in that last quarter they had all the momentum,” Pearce said.
“I thought we were done. Gee, they’re a good side, Adelaide. To come back like they did … They played really well tonight.
“We’ve spoken a lot about trying to stand up and being calm when the pressure and momentum’s against us. I’m just so proud of the guys for the way they handled themselves out there, and the way we were still able to play our way.”
Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley added on the final siren.“He’s such a great leader. Clearly, Fremantle love him. He’s done an amazing job again to save that game, because that could’ve been a goal.”
It’s not the first time Pearce’s heroics have graced Adelaide Oval, after his match-winning goal in Round 22, 2024 saw his side home over Port Adelaide with a clutch set shot.
Beyond the visiting captain, Justin Longmuir’s side was all over the Crows like a rash from the get-go, with a one-goal lead at quarter time hardly telling of their dominance at clearance and efficiency by foot.
A four-to-one goal second stanza was a much more accurate depiction of proceedings, with not many more making the most of their dominance than Jye Amiss.
The 22-year-old key forward reaped the rewards of the hosts’ depleted defence, kicking three first-half goals to throw Adelaide to the sword.
“They look the better side, don’t they? They’re not fumbling, they’re using the ball well when they get it in stoppage,” Adelaide legend Mark Ricciuto said of the Dockers at half time.
“We knew that they had the firepower up forward, and Adelaide are a little undermanned down back … they’ve been too classy.”
“All night, they’ve been far too good around stoppage — and that’s what the difference is.
“Too clean, too strong, too good.”
Hinkley added: “They’ve got elite hands around the ball. Brayshaw, Sarong, Erasmus, Johnson — the group’s getting bigger I reckon. Shai Bolton’s coming in too … that’s dangerous for Crows defenders.”
2. VALIANT CROWS’ EPIC COMEBACK GOES IN VAIN… AND SURPRISE ‘FIND’ WHO KEEPS ON GROWING
Adelaide looked down-and-out at the 10-minute mark of the third quarter, trailing a potent Fremantle outfit by 34 points. But as they’ve so often done in recent years, they’ve come from behind in the blink of an eye to get back to net neutral.
Unfortunately for them on Good Friday, it wasn’t to be as the visitors clutched up late despite being overwhelmed with inside 50 entries late.
If Crows coach Matthew Nicks was to take a positive out of the night though, it was that his side — despite a lacklustre start — were able to match it with one of this year’s genuine contenders without notable starpower.
Amid their second half comeback, it wasn’t the usual suspects in Riley Thilthorpe and Izak Rankine who dragged the Crows back into the green.
Instead, it was the likes of six-gamer Lachie McAndrew who played his heart out to help combat the lethal dual ruck duo of Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy all night.
The 25-year-old 210cm giant only had eight disposals, but collected a whopping 13 tackles, 31 hitouts and two contested marks in another huge game.
“He is a find, isn’t he? He’s a great player who’s been so good this year,” Ken Hinkley said after a McAndrew intercept mark early in the last quarter.
Former Giant James Peatling went ballistic after half time to find the ball 11 times in the third term, complemented by five clearances and a goal.
The home side had to do it tough without Darcy Fogarty (back) and Isaac Cumming (illness) withdrawing just an hour before the start of the match, temporarily joining the likes of Jordan Butts (concussion), Dan Curtin (knee) and Mark Keane (leg) on the sidelines.
Thilthorpe also came into the match under an injury cloud, and was well-held by Pearce for the entire first half — failing to take a mark before half time.
“He’s been better than zero marks, but he’s got a good player on him,” Adelaide legend Mark Ricciuto said to Fox Footy at half time.
“He was with Fogarty and went off the training track early (on Thursday). I don’t know how bad his back was, and I don’t know if he’s playing under duress.
“He looks to be moving fine, he’s just up against a good defender. He’s not getting great ball movement so far (either); all his opportunities have been long kicks down the line.”
Fellow superstar Izak Rankine was quiet most of the night too, and was wayward in front of goal to finish with 14 disposals and three behinds.
“That tells you the tale of his season, doesn’t it?” Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell said after one of his misses on goal.
Ken Hinkley added: “You sort of wait for him to have those moments … they need him to start hitting his straps, big time.”
The Crows finished the night with 10 different goalscorers from their 11 total majors.
1. ‘NO WORLD THAT’S ACCEPTABLE’: CROW’S KEY EARLY MOMENT TO FORGET
Ben Keays is well-regarded as one of Adelaide’s most selfless men at West Lakes, having long played the thankless high half-forward role in recent years.
Unfortunately for the 29-year-old though, there was a moment very close to goal before half time that saw the Crows miss out on a likely goal.
Teammate Riley Thilthorpe tackled Fremantle skipper Alex Pearce holding-the-ball just metres from goal not long before half time, and while the set shot would’ve been on a sharp angle, most would’ve expected the Crows star to kick truly.
Keays excitedly played on to activate an ‘advantage’ call from the in-zone umpire, only to shank a snap on his preferred side short of goal — failing to register a score.
“I just look at that, and say: ‘I know he’s not a selfish player — he’s a great team player — but he was feeling the pressure of not touching the footy,” former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley told Fox Footy at half time.
Adelaide legend Mark Ricciuto added: “There’s no world where that’s acceptable to go and do that, unfortunately for Keaysy. But, he’s got plenty of credits in the bank, and he’s got a second half to change it.”
Keays’ kick in the play was his only for the half, with his only other stat a tackle by the main break.
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Originally published as Gutsy Crows comeback denied by epic act in Good Friday classic
