Dockers edge Pies in gripping stoush

COLLINGWOOD left the Perth hub with its season on the slide on Sunday night after being ambushed by a young and hungry Fremantle, losing a thrilling clash at Optus Stadium by 12 points.

The Dockers bounced back from a scoreless first quarter, lifting their intensity, spanking the Magpies in the midfield, and holding their nerve in a grandstand finish to win 10.1 (61) to 7.7 (49).

First-year midfielder Caleb Serong was immense for the Dockers, upstaging the Magpies’ big names to finish with 24 possessions and nine clearances to announce himself as a future star.

Power forward Matt Taberner persisted to finish with four goals, while captain Nat Fyfe returned from injury and played forward for the majority of the contest, with his team

NATHAN SCHMOOK

still winning the clearances 45-30. The loss for the Magpies, who used the ball poorly and couldn’t stand the Dockers’ pressure, rounded out a poor Perth leg of the season that has their premiership credentials in doubt.

Being handed run-with roles in the past two matches has helped first-year midfielder Serong showcase his talents and justify early comparisons to former Docker Lachie Neale.

In round eight against Geelong he was set the task of running with Patrick Dangerfield, winning that match-up and earning a Rising Star nomination. On Sunday night, he went straight to Taylor Adams and worked off the consistent Magpies on-baller.

All eyes were on Collingwood vice-captain Steele Sidebottom in his return from a four-match ban for breaching the AFL’s COVID-19 guidelines, and the midfielder’s performance was underwhelming initially before his class came to the fore in the third quarter.