Fremantle stars Gabby Newton and Kiara Bowers celebrated their 50-game milestones in style, the key duo helping the Dockers to a hard-fought 22-point win against a dogged Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval.
The Power trailed from the outset of Sunday’s contest, but closed the gap to five points early in the final term thanks to Katelyn Pope’s clutch goal.
But Hayley Miller booted her third goal with just over six minutes remaining to seal a gutsy win.
After missing the 2024 season to give birth to her son, Bowers picked up where she left off with an equal game-high 22 possessions and 14 tackles, with Newton also gathering 22 disposals.
Gemma Houghton played her 75th AFLW game and finished with 12 touches, but was unable to hit the scoreboard.
Miller was influential early and helped the visitors fly out of the blocks with the first goal of the day.
The hard-working Freo Dockers were winning the territory battle and repeated forward entries paid off when Miller marked and converted from the goalsquare.
Miller was involved again, with her long kick deep into attack giving Ange Stannett the opportunity to pounce.
After missing all of the 2024 season with a ruptured ACL, the Fremantle skipper bounced through a beauty in traffic to celebrate her return in style.
Her opposite number, Port captain Justine Mules-Robinson, pulled one back late in the first quarter, but the home side trailed by six points at the first break.
That would be the Power’s only goal for the first half.
Port noticeably upped its workrate in the second quarter, but Stannett’s second was the only major of the term, extending her side’s lead to 11 points at half-time.
Megan Kauffman’s superb goal was a highlight of a tense third-quarter tussle, with Port unable to peg back the half-time margin despite Mules-Robinson’s second major that set up the tense final term.
Indy Tahoe played her first game since Round 4, 2023, returning to the field 695 days after suffering a major knee injury, with the Brisbane premiership player getting through unscathed with 12 possessions and three rebound 50s.
The Power suffered an early blow when Amelia Borg was ruled out with an ankle injury late in the first quarter. Tunisha Kikoak left the game for Freo in the second term after copping a knock to the face in a marking contest with Matilda Scholz that saw her enter concussion protocols.
Oh captain, my captain!
In her first game as Port skipper, Mules-Robinson’s workrate and class was on show in one team-lifting play late in the first quarter. With her team trailing by two goals, Mules-Robinson sent a long ball deep inside 50, which came off hands. Pope gathered and shot a quick handball to her captain, who snapped a brilliant goal in traffic.
Stannett at the double
Stannett had kicked just four goals in her previous 57 games, but the Fremantle skipper had two before half-time. Her first came hot on the heels of Miller’s opener in the first quarter to help Freo off to a flyer. Her second was the only goal scored by either side in the second term. After some strong hands under pressure by her teammates, Stannett threw the ball on her right boot in traffic from 40m out and bounced through a top-shelf special.
Up next
The Power will take on reigning premiers North Melbourne at Arden Street Oval next Sunday at 1.05pm AEST. Freo will host the Brisbane Lions at Fremantle Oval on Saturday at 3.05pm AWST.
PORT ADELAIDE 1.1 1.3 2.4 3.6 (24)
FREMANTLE 2.1 3.2 4.3 7.4 (46)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Mules-Robinson 2, Pope
Fremantle: Miller 3, Stannett 2, Kauffmann, Biedenweg-Webster
BEST
Port Adelaide: Dowrick, Scholz, Mules-Robinson, Woodland, Lamb, Syme
Fremantle: Bowers, Newton, Miller, Stannett, M Strom, Kauffman
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Borg (ankle)
Fremantle: Kikoak (concussion)
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 2,873 at Alberton Oval
