Fremantle secures top-four spot with win over Port Adelaide

The Dockers had everything thrown at them by Port Adelaide in the first half at Patersons Stadium on Saturday in their battle for fourth spot.

But they took control of the contest, kicking nine consecutive goals between the 10-minute mark of the third quarter and the 12-minute mark of the last, to score an impressive eight-point win and earn the double chance in the final series.

One of their remaining games will be played in Perth - whether it be the semi-final or the preliminary final - where they have now won 28 of their past 30 games. 

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The Dockers will head east first though for a qualifying final, while the Power needs to regroup before hosting an elimination final.

"That was a great lead-up to next week," Dockers coach Ross Lyon said.

"We played a really dominant third [term]. The fans bring significant energy to the team, but we won't have that next week, wherever we are. It's pleasing for the playing group because they get to have a genuine chance at it again."

Hayden Ballantyne, who had was held to just four touches in the first half by Port's Jarman Impey, broke the shackles and kicked four goals in that dominant period.

Chris Mayne kicked two, contributing multiple goals for the first time in a game in more than a year.

No side has won the flag from outside the top four since the present format has been in place, but Power coach Ken Hinkley seems unnerved by stats.

"We're gonna have a go," he said after the loss. "It's cutthroat now. Make a mistake now and it's all over – season over.

"We have to play four weeks of good footy. Right now, we have played as good footy as we have all year.

"We know what finals are about. I know we can compete. Today is perfect preparation."

As they had done in most games this season, Power finished strongly, kicking the last five goals of the game, but the damage had already been done.

And during a lot of that period, the Dockers had their two biggest possession winners - Michael Barlow and Lachie Neale – plus back up ruckman Zac Clarke sitting on the bench, unable to come back onto the ground.

It wasn't through injury that they were stranded though – the Dockers had used their quota of 120 interchange. They won't want to make that mistake next week in the qualifying final.

Three of those late goals came from the boot of Jay Schultz and two from Robbie Gray after the Dockers had led by 38 points midway through the term. Schultz kicked six goals for the game.

The first of Gray's goals came in the 19th minute of the final term with his 32nd possession and his second came a minute later with his 33rd.

But he'll go back and dwell over the three missed opportunities from the first half. Two of them were from gettable set shots, while the third was with a check-side kick just 10 metres out from goal, with no one standing in front of him.

So at half-time, when Power led by a point, they would have been talking about making the most of their opportunities in the second half. They didn't.

In the third term – the premiership quarter – the Dockers went forward only 11 times and kicked 6.3. Port had 12 inside 50 entries and managed only 2.4.

Earlier, Power appeared to have the match-ups they wanted early in the game.

Ballantyne struggled to get near the ball, while Kane Cornes kept Stephen Hill to four touches in the first half and 14 for the game.

David Mundy was also quiet in first half, Ollie Wines keeping him to six possessions.

And with no Nat Fyfe, who was serving the second of his two weeks suspension, Fremantle needed someone to step up.

Enter Neale, who Port couldn't keep away from the football. The sub in last year's grand final loss to Hawthorn had 13 touches in the first half and finished with 34.

Barlow, who was declared unlikely to play on Wednesday by Lyon, also had enough of the football to keep the Dockers moving forward.

And in attack they had the unlikely target in Matt Taberner causing Port headaches.

Last week's NAB Rising Star nominee kicked two goals in the first term, both from marks.

The Dockers do have some work to do in getting their defence together before next week though.

Star defender Luke McPharlin looks unlikely to get over his calf injury in time to play, while Michael Johnson limped through most of the game against Port.

Johnson is believed to have back problems that have hampered his preparations for the past few weeks.

But with two wins between the Dockers and another crack at a grand final, you'd expect him to do everything he can to make himself available.

FREMANTLE: 3.3   7.5   13.8   16.9 (105)

PORT ADELAIDE: 3.3   7.6   9.10  14.13 (97)