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Fremantle Dockers survive North Melbourne scare to roar to 26-point comeback win

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Craig O'DonoghueThe West Australian
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The Dockers have produced a huge comeback to beat North Melbourne.
Camera IconThe Dockers have produced a huge comeback to beat North Melbourne. Credit: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Fremantle have produced their biggest comeback since the 2022 elimination final to beat North Melbourne by 26 points at Marvel Stadium.

The Dockers looked in all sorts of trouble when they trailed by 33 points during the second term but then seized control with nine goals in a row.

The comeback followed them coming from 25 points down to beat Brisbane last week and was their biggest turnaround since trailing by 41 points in the 2022 final against the Western Bulldogs.

The 15.12 (102) to 11.10 (76) victory means Fremantle have won their opening two games of the season for the first time since 2015.

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Luke Jackson turned the game with a magnificent third quarter. Jackson had seven disposals, five clearances and kicked a goal.

His presence also attracted multiple opponents which allowed other teammates to prosper.

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North Melbourne dominated the start of the game and restricted Fremantle to only three goals midway late in the second term.

But the Dockers’ incredible run of goals saw them storm to a 29-point advantage before George Wardlaw finally kicked another major for the Roos to make it a 23-point game with one quarter to play.

It was a remarkable third term. Fremantle won the clearances 11-5, had 18 inside 50s to the Roos’ nine and 108 disposals to North Melbourne’s 70.

Fremantle turned themselves into a different team to the one that struggled to get the ball in the first half.

North Melbourne’s young midfield ran rampant at the start of the game with Luke Davies-Uniacke, Tom Powell, Wardlaw and Harry Sheezel punishing the Dockers at every opportunity.

The Roos controlled the stoppages to ensure the ball lived in their forward half and that pressure kept producing goals.

Nick Larkey disputes an umpires decision.
Camera IconNick Larkey disputes an umpires decision. Credit: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Fremantle struggled to move the footy whereas North Melbourne played at lightning speed whenever they won the ball back and the Dockers struggled to find answers.

Fremantle halted the momentum shortly before half-time and fittingly, it was Jackson who followed up a Sam Switkowski goal to get the margin back to three goals.

Only a fingertip prevented Caleb Serong from adding another major shortly before the half-time siren.

And then Fremantle took over.

Jackson had 24 possessions, seven clearances, two goals and 10 score involvements for the day.

Serong just kept finding the footy and finished with 35 disposals and eight clearances.

North Melbourne kept challenging and Fremantle had a nervy moment when Matthew Johnson’s pass backwards to James Aish hit the behind post on the full, only for the umpires to deem it had bounced to deny the home team a shot for goal.

Bailey Banfield sealed the win moments later.

Fremantle will attempt to continue their winning start to the season when they play their home game against Adelaide next weekend.

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