4th quarter

Michael Walters (3 goals) on Fox Footy: "I think I'm kicking more goals in the midfield than up front!"

Ryan Nyhuis kicks four goals on debut after coming in late as a replacement for David Mundy.

Nyhuis on Fox Footy: "I've never played forward in my life! This morning I got word that I would be playing. Ross (Lyon) said he believed in me and that my preparation had been good. The boys told me to do what I've been doing all year. I've been trying to practice my goalkicking routine and the (winning goal) floated through which was nice."

Siren sounds. Freo wins a thriller!

0:19: Free kick to Todd Goldstein from the stoppage. His shot on goal form 25m misses! Freo leads by four.

1:30: Rushed behind for North. Will it be crucial? Freo lead by five.

2:19: GOAL FREO. Debutant Ryan Nyhuis kicks his FOURTH of the day. A huge contested mark leads to a nervous sidewinding shot on goal from 45m but it's through. Freo lead 86-80.

4:08: Kersten snaps around his body from 35m for a point. Scores tied 80-80.

4:59: GOAL FREO. Debutant Ryan Nyhuis with a spectacular goal on the run from outside the 50! Crucial tap from a marking contest by Joel Hamling set up Nyhuis who brings Freo within a point.

5:45: North's Jack Ziebell with a crucial miss running into the 50, but the point could be telling as he puts the Roos up by seven points.

 
The worm tells the story of North's momentum

9:30: Ben Brown kicks his fourth to see North in the lead for the first time today. Roos lead 78-73.

11:04: Aaron Mullett gathers to kick his second of the day. Kangaroos within two points.

STATS: Freo have executed one effective tackle to North's ten this term.

13:29: GOAL FREO. Shane Kersten with the steadier. Perfect delivery from Hayden Crozier to find the open Kersten. Freo lead 73-65.

14:48: Luke McDonald goals for North to bring the Kangaroos within three.

16:08: Ben Brown kicks his third of the day after earning a free kick. Freo's lead cut to nine.

17:07: GOAL FREO. Nat Fyfe with his second mark inside 50 of the term and this time he converts. Freo lead 67-52.

20:00: Tommy Sheridan is done for the day after picking up a hamstring injury just before half time. Brady Grey is back out on the ground with strapping on his left shoulder.

3rd quarter

Siren sounds to end the quarter with North kicking two goals to Freo's none. Fremantle take an eight-point lead into the final term.

STATS: Nat Fyfe picked up just three touches in the third term but still leads Freo's disposal count with 26. Neale and Blakely have 23 touches each.

0:25: Brady Grey heads down to the rooms to receive treatment.

1:04: Andrew Swallow breaks through for North as he snaps their second of the term. Freo's lead cut to eight points.

STATS: North leading inside 50s 9-4 in this term but Freo lead in the contest 33-31.

4:45: Brilliant double tackle from Michael Johnson stops a North forward thrust in its tracks.

5:30: Freo showing more intent late in the third term with behinds to Ryan Nyhuis and Darcy Tucker but are yet to goal this quarter. Freo lead 60-46.

11:05: North go forward again but are cut off by a huge juggling contested mark by Connor Blakely.

12:16: Jack Ziebell goals for North. Ben Brown with the crucial play to spoil Michael Johnson's attempted mark in Freo's defensive 50. Freo lead by 12.

14:23: Luke Ryan takes a huge contested mark in Freo's backline. It's been a stalemate so far this term with no goals to either side.


Luke Ryan takes an impressive contested mark in the third term

15:00: North Melbourne have come out strongly in the third with most of the play in their forward half. The Kangaroos have only a point so far for their troubles. Freo lead 58-40.

2nd quarter

STATS: Sean Darcy is keeping up with Todd Goldstein in the ruck with 15 hitouts and six to advantage. Goldstein has 14 hitouts with eight to advantage.

Nat Fyfe has 23 possessions (11 contested) with seven clearances. Michael Walters has 13 touches running at 11 per cent efficiency with three goals, three tackles, three marks and three inside 50s.

Fyfe on half-time interview on FoxFooty: "We came out to fight and compete and we think we’ve done that."

0:06: North win the clearance and goal through Shaun Atley cutting Freo's lead to 19.

0:26: GOAL FREO. Huge grab by youngster Brennan Cox in the forwardline and he converts from 20m. Freo lead 58-33 late in the second term.

2:18: GOAL FREO. Darcy Tucker kicks his second. Set up by an on-fire Nat Fyfe who takes a brilliant mark running with the flight of the ball. Freo lead 51-33.

3:40: Joel Hamling is back on the field but has not returned to his role on Roos forward Ben Brown. That role has been taken by Michael Johnson.

STATS: Nat Fyfe continuing his strong run of form against North Melbourne. He has 19 possessions (eight contested) six clearances and four inside 50s.

5:45: Aaron Mullett goals for North to cut Freo's lead to two goals.

9:00: Joel Hamling is back off the field with an injury.

9:25: GOAL FREO. A great team goal! Brennan Cox wins the tap from a boundary throw-in and Nat Fyfe shows incredible strength to clear to Tommy Sheridan. Sheridan delivers perfectly to Darcy Tucker who runs into an open goal. Freo lead 45-26.

10:37: Joel Hamling miss-hits a kick in an attempt to exit Freo's defensive 50 and it ends up in the hands of North's Declan Mountford who goals. Freo lead 39-26.

13:20: GOAL FREO. Walters kicks his third from a set shot from 40m on a tight angle. He was spotted by Lachie Neale after a persistent Walters made his fourth lead. Freo lead 39-20.


Michael Walters celebrates his third goal.

15:14: North's Shaun Higgins dribbles through a miracle goal from the pocket. One worthy of any highlight reel. Freo's lead cut to 13.

17:09: Ben Brown marks and kicks his, and North's, second of the day. Freo lead 33-14.

19:31: GOAL FREO. What a start to the quarter! From the backine Lachie Weller spots Darcy Tucker on the wing who delivers perfectly to debutant Ryan Nyhuis who runs into an open goal. That's Nyhuis' second goal of the day - Freo lead 33-8.


Nyhuis celebrates his second goal

20:00: Joel Hamling is back on the ground to start the second term.

1st quarter

STATS: Freo lead the clearances at quarter time, 11 to 7.

QT: Freo lead by 19 points after kicking the opening four goals of the term, including two to Michael Walters and one to debutant Ryan Nyhuis. Walters has six disposals running at 100 per cent efficiency with four marks.

0:30: It's all even in the ruck contest between 19-year-old Sean Darcy and 2015 All Australian ruckman Todd Goldstein, with eight hitouts each.

4:00: Hamling is running around on the boundary and looking ok.

8:00: Defender Joel Hamling has come off to recieve treatment.

8:34: North Melbourne are on the board with a goal to Ben Brown. Freo lead 26-7.

STATS: Fremantle have taken five marks inside 50 this quarter, all uncontested. North are yet to take a mark inside 50.

9:56: GOAL FREO. Michael Walters converts a set shot from 20m, his second goal of the day. Set up by Shane Kersten, centering to Connor Blakeley in the square who delivered the inside 50 to Walters. Freo lead 26-1.

11:25: GOAL FREO. Shane Kersten marks and converts. Freo lead 20-1.

STATS: Fyfe is coming off three BOG performances in Freo's past four appearances against North Melbourne. Fyfe earned three brownlow votes in round eight, 2015 and round four, 2016. In round five, 2017 Fyfe racked up 19 contested possessions, eight clearances and kicked one goal.

14:55: GOAL FREO. Welcome to the AFL Ryan Nyhuis! Same situation as Walters' goal - set up by a Nat Fyfe inside 50 and the 20-year-old converts from 40m with his first AFL kick. Freo lead 14-1.

15:41: GOAL FREO. Who else but Michael Walters? After kicking six last week, Walters converts the set shot from 40m after being set up by a Nat Fyfe inside 50.

18:00: Freo starting strongly but haven't converted with behinds to Brady Grey and Bradley Hill. 

Pre game

1:05pm (EST): Ross Lyon on FoxFooty broadcast says Nick Suban will go to Shaun Higgins today. Says the reason for David Mundy's withdrawal was the flu.

1:00pm (EST): The players are out on the ground. Fremantle have named five players with less than 10 AFL games experience in debutant Ryan Nyhuis, Griffin Logue, Sean Darcy, Luke Ryan and Brennan Cox.

Neither team have good form lines coming into today's clash. Fremantle have lost their past five games, North have lost their past four.

How to pronounce Nyhuis...

11:40am (EST): Fremantle has made a late change to their starting 22 with Ryan Nyhuis coming in for David Mundy (illness). Tommy Sheridan, Lachie Weller, Hayden Crozier and Lachie Neale to start on the bench.

North Melbourne announce they have no late changes. 

10:10am (EST): Etihad stadium says the roof will be closed to today's game.