After The Game v Port Adelaide, Rd 24 2024 - With Snaps Truly

“If you want something done, do it yourself.”

The quote has been attributed to Napoleon, but so have many things; an awful singing voice and a terrible fear of cats, among them.

Had Freo managed to hold on or kick clear at crucial moments of the season; or even lay a tackle in the last centre bounce of the game against Essendon, things might have been different. We might have done what needed to be done.

Instead, we had to rely on the help of others.

And on Sunday, it arrived.

Only just.

With twelve seconds left. A St Kilda goal beat Carlton – and Freo was still alive.

Please footy gods, I begged shamelessly, could we exact some, sweet sweet revenge? Could we push Carlton out of the eight and take their place?

Well, it was a great opening quarter with Port. Tight and tough.

The visitors got the first through Byrne-Jones, but a great piece of transition footy saw Young deliver beautifully to Switta, who goaled.

Jason Horne-Francis bolted from the middle to find Drew who answered immediately and when Amiss stormed out of full forward, won the free kick, and then made no mistake, Freo hit the lead and were. according to the live ladder, into the eight.

Not sure about the live ladder. It’s footy bling, at least in the early stages of a match.
Josh Draper danced through traffic to find Driz and what a thrill it was to see him fire away on that left foot.

When Young again, found Voss this time, his goal pushed Freo 14 points clear.

A Rioli free kick closed the gap, but an eight-point advantage was a good start.
So much to play for. And incredible tension, here and presumably in Lygon Street.

The second quarter was a story of opportunities taken and missed.

We missed them.

Freo had much of the footy early but were wayward in front of goal. I’m a Jeremy Sharp fan, but as a set shot kicker, I always put my hands over my eyes. Someone told me. he missed.

Luke Ryan did brilliantly to park Mitch Georgiades on his backside, but the embarrassment clearly burned. His two excellent goals gave Port the lead.

Moments before the siren sounded, Nat Fyfe took a fine one hander, just outside the square and while the crowd held its collective breath, he helped them breathe out safely. The margin one point at the long break.

If I was a television commentator I’d probably say “It couldn’t be closer.” Which of course it could be. Which says a lot about television commentators.

Frankly I feel a bit sick. And have done so all day.

I returned to Napoleon for second half inspiration.

“The battlefield is a scene of constant chaos. The winner will be the one who controls that chaos, both his own and the enemies.”

And after half time, Port controlled the chaos.

They goaled through Evans and then the ever-dangerous Horne-Francis, to skip away to a 15-point advantage.

Jackson held a strong mark, but missed. But moments later he was impinged – now there’s a word we don’t use enough – and his goal kept Freo in touch.

McEntee extended the lead again for Port, but Sam Sturt snapped on his left, moments before the end of the quarter. Freo eight points down.

The season on the line.

What a hard-fought last quarter. Voss came from nowhere to take the mark and cut the margin to 3.

Freo lacked nothing in endeavour, but they did lack something in finesse.

Willie Rioli had bucketloads of it. He kicked consecutive goals as Port marched towards a second-place finish.

Jordan Sweet added another and when the siren sounded, Port were winners by 20 points.

Fair play to them. This was a great effort.

Freo’s season? Well, it died bravely. The players spent.

And fans like Emphysema Plough were no doubt left to fume and foam over what might have been, while others like Yours Truly, who have dragged our ragged carcasses up and down the hills of hope for years, took an altogether more generous view.

The boys played some great footy. They were in the contest for a finals place right up to the end.

We have four players in the All Australian under 22 squad, and we will get better.

Can Fremantle win a flag in 2025?

Nothing’s impossible.

Napolean reckoned “Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.”

Although he did talk some rubbish.

Thanks for season 24 Freo.

Yours truly,

Snaps Truly.

By our 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 here on the Shipping News throughout the 2024 season. Here are Snaps’ other 2024 season reports.

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