FREMANTLE has ended its season on a high for retiring champion Matthew Pavlich, defeating the Western Bulldogs by 20 points at Domain Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Dockers led at every change and Pavlich booted his 700th AFL major in the first quarter to join an exclusive club of just Bernie Quinlan and Kevin Bartlett, of players to have played at least 350 games and kicked at least 700 goals.
The result did not affect the Bulldogs' position in the finals as they finish seventh on the ladder
Week one of the finals will see the Bulldogs travel to Perth again to face sixth-placed West Coast, while Fremantle can now planning for season 2017.
The Bulldogs will look to address their ball use as the prepare to face the Eagles, after kicking at 46 per cent for the match. The Dockers' pressure was outstanding all day but it will go up a notch in September.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said his team can't ignore the result.
"There was a bit to play for," Beveridge said.
"We still wanted to finish the home and away season on a positive note, but nothing went right unfortunately.
"There was just too many skill errors and our energy wasn't where it normally is and we are going to need a significant correction to be any sort of force in the upcoming finals series."
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon was delighted with his side's effort.
"I was really pleased, the emotional hook for Matthew was really important for us," Lyon said.
"We come off a bad 30-40 minutes against a team that is going to a super team, that is a super team in GWS.
"We acknowledged it. It was a flat meeting early in the week, but they wanted, they committed, they the players, wanted to come and play and committed to play with passion and hardness at the ball for four quarters."
The day was all about Pavlich. He walked through a guard of honour featuring some former teammates pre-game. The crowd only had to wait 14 minutes in the opening term for another milestone when he was on the end a neat chain of handballs to run into an open goal for his 700th career major. Every Docker on the ground ran to celebrate with him.
He had a chance to seal the match and his career with a late goal but he missed two straightforward set shots in the last quarter.
There were hugs for Pavlich post-match and another guard of honour, as he was carried from the ground by David Mundy and Alex Silvagni following a lap of honour. There were also quiet hugs for Hayden Ballantyne and Chris Mayne who could also have played their last games for the Dockers.
His teammates were outstanding to set up the win. Lachie Neale was excellent all day in the midfield with 36 disposals - 19 contested - and he feasted on some great service from Aaron Sandilands. Youngsters Lachie Weller and Darcy Tucker gave the Dockers a glimpse of the future with great run and carry all day. The defence stood firm led by the impenetrable Garrick Ibbotson.
Matthew Boyd stood tall down back for the Bulldogs with 35 disposals. Luke Dahlhaus and Liam Picken fought hard though the middle. Tory Dickson was one of the few Bulldogs to take his chances in front of goal with three majors. Marcus Bontempelli had 27 disposals but had his effectiveness quelled somewhat by Tommy Sheridan.
The Dockers kept their noses in front all day on the back of a four-goal to two opening term. They matched the Bulldogs around the contest and never relented. The home side lifted an extra cog in the last quarter with 15 inside 50s to seven. They only converted one of seven scoring opportunities but Shane Yarran's goal was enough to seal the win.
FREMANTLE 4.1 7.2 9.3 10.9 (69)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.4 4.9 6.12 6.13 (49)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 2, Neale, Pearce, Hill, Mundy, de Boer, Pavlich, Apeness, Yarran
Western Bulldogs: Dickson 3, Smith 2, Dahlhaus
BEST
Fremantle: Neale, Ibbotson, Hill, Weller, Tucker, Silvagni
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Picken, Johannisen, Dahlhaus, Bontempelli, Dickson
INJURIES
Fremantle: TBC
Western Bulldogs: TBC
Reports: TBC
Umpires: Dalgleish, O’Gorman, Findlay
Official crowd: 34,765 at Domain Stadium
