After the Game v West Coast Eagles, Rd 6 – With Grumbles

It’s been another tough round for footy tipsters and fans, Round 6.

Who picked the Dogs to win and not just to win but to nearly double the Saints score?

Who thought Essendon had any chance against the Adelaide Crows before a parochial home crowd at Adelaide Oval, and would win by a whisker?

Who picked the Pies to take Port apart so easily.

Who thought the Blues had it in them to overrun the previously unbeaten Giants and win by 19 points?

With the sudden Round 6 reality that anyone can beat anyone in season 2024, with the Freo Dockers having in fact lost their last two matches away in Adelaide, and with the West Coast Eagles having at last won their first match of season ‘24 against an undermanned but still strong looking Tigers at home last week and justified the moniker accorded them by our own Snaps Truly – ‘the Harley Reids’ – only a very brave, penniless punter or a very one-eyed Freo fan would have bet even their old backyard Besser BBQ, let alone their new fancy Webber against a big Freo win – even if the bookies’ odds of $1.15/$5.25 half an hour before bounce down suggested Freo was running in a one horse race in Derby 58.

Well, we all know what then transpired.

Well done Eagles. The moniker the Harley Reids turns out to be entirely accurate. Reid was sensational. As was Elliot Yeo.

Here’s the anatomy of a loss. Possibly the worst Derby performance ever by Fremantle. Nothing to be salvaged from this Freo performance. Probably best simply forgotten about. If you can.

First quarter. Yeo starts with first goal of the game, after Freo seemed to be playing their usual organised game in defence. But struggling again forward.

Amiss crashes in the goal square and is substituted out with concussion

After Bailey Williams marks and misses from straight in front for the Harleys, Josh Treacy does the same at the other end.

Then Banners scrapes the post. First of his many points.

Then Harley Reid himself marks and goals.

And it’s suddenly 2.1 v 0.3

Then Reid to Waterman with quarter time looming and it’s suddenly 3.1 to 0.3

Then with 3 secs to go, Reid himself taken high and its suddenly 4.1 to 0.3.

At the quarter, 4.1 to 0.3. Freo fans everywhere were wondering, Are we the team we thought we were?

Reid tears out of the centre to start the second. A point. Unlucky not to goal.

Then a goal to Jack Williams for the Eagles.

5.2 to 0.3.

Wheels falling off.

6.2 as Long hits the second of the second.

Then nearly the third of the quarter as Cole passes off to McGovern who misses.

But Waterman gets it done. 7.2 to 0.3.

Where’s the much-famed Dockers’ defence?

This is unbelievable.

Waterman should have made it 8.2 to 0.3. But it’s 7.4 to 0.3.

With 9.30 of the second left, Jacko goals. Frantic play.

7.4 to 1.3.

Waterman again! 8.3 to 1.3

Freo heads dropping.

But Young’s is up. To Sturt. Goal. 8.4 to 2.3.

Coach ‘animated’.

Emmett goals. 8.4 to 3.3. Just 5 goals down. And a point!

Will the Harleys goal before the major break?

Then Walks does what he seems to do best, walks into a brick wall. Holding the ball. Waterman again. 9.4 to 3.3.

Two wheels left only.

6 goals 1 point down after 4 down at the quarter.

Third Quarter starts

Kelly a point – just touched.

Great Eagles defence.

Serong takes Harley down.

Sharp sharpshoots. 4.3, trailing 9.5

Then Banners after Treacy intercept. A point. Bad miss.

Free against Darc. Darling goals. 10.5 to 4.4. Two goal turnaround.

Melee. Free kick. Banners again. Again a big miss. 4 points now.

Another two goal turnaround. Cripps goals. 11.5 to 4.5.

Yep a point. Phew. 11.6 to 4.5.

Waterman again! 11.7. 4.5

Then another. 11.8.

What a mark. Harley Reid! 12.8. 4.5.

Then it’s 12.9 with Darling’s miss.

Chesser. 13.9.

Third wheel goes loose.

Freo’s defence ‘all at sea’.

Maric – a 50 m + bomb. 14.9 to 4.5.

You’d think the game is over… Three quarter time. 10.4 down nearly 11 goals.

What happened?

Last quarter. This way and that. Treacy for an easy goal. 5.4.

Sonny tackled dangerously. Beautiful goal 6.4.

Jacko. 6.5.

Treacy! 7.5.

Sturt! 8.5.

Then Waterman. Goal to Harleys. 15.9 to 8.6.

Then Darling. 16.9.

7.35 mins to go. Johnson. Goal. 9.6.

‘Lots of questions’ for Freo.

‘Can’t score’.

Emmett. Why, oh why?

9.7.

9.8.

Good catch Jacko. 10.8.

Still chasing 16.9. 7 goals needed to win! And only one wheel left.

Siren. That’s it folks. Bar the medal.

Glendinning Allan Medal goes to … Elliot Yeo.

So, Freo well beaten. No grumbles can be entertained. 16.9 thrashes 10.8.

One always says, There’s always next week. One can only hope so …

* By Grumbles standing in for our regular multi-talented and amazingly insightful footy scribe, SNAPS TRULY. Snaps has seen and done it all. He may or may not have been a fringe player at Fremantle. Don’t miss Snaps’ report after each Freo Dockers match throughout the season.

** In case you missed SNAPS’ earlier reports for season ‘24, here they are.

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