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FREMANTLE has revived its season with a powerful 48-point win against a weakened Essendon, dominating the contest at Fremantle Community Bank Oval and keeping the Bombers to a single goal on Saturday afternoon.

Two weeks after their season hit a flashpoint with a 100-point loss to North Melbourne, Freo produced a brilliant pressure performance and flexed their midfield muscle to win 9.2 (56) to 1.2 (8), squaring their season at 3-3.

It was a forgettable day for the injury-ravaged Bombers, who were held to just 0.1 across the first three quarters and only avoided a record low score when Daria Bannister got free to kick a running goal and Bonnie Toogood kicked a late behind in the dying minutes.

  • 01:19

    'So Stoked to get the win and by the girls efforts' | Ash Brazill

    Hear from Ash Brazill on the field post game in round 6.

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  • 04:53

    Lisa Webb post-match | Round 6 v Essendon

    Hear from Lisa Webb post-match following our Round 6 win over Essendon

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  • 03:23

    'Felt like a reward for the whole team' | Georgie Brisbane

    Forward Georgie Brisbane speaks following our 48 point win over Essendon this afternoon at Fremantle Oval

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  • 01:45

    'A machine out there' | Brutal Bowers lays 21 tackles in ruthless outing

    Kiara Bowers falls one tackle short of equalling her own competition-record of 22 tackles in a ferocious day in the contest.

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  • 05:09

    Match Highlights | Round 6 v Essendon

    Watch all the highlights from our Round 6 win over Essendon

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  • 00:51

    'Jumping for joy': Banfield with her first!

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  • 00:32

    Debutant Stockwell's sticky hands brings first goal in special moment!

    Poppy Stockwell takes an impressive contested mark between two opponents and threads her maiden AFLW major as her teammates surround her

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  • 00:42

    Freo's maiden moment brings roar before veteran's ripping roller

    Georgie Brisbane boots her first AFLW goal and she celebrates in style before Gabby O'Sullivan improvises quickly with an impressive hook

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  • 00:20

    AFLW Team Song: Fremantle

    Watch the Dockers celebrate their week six win

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  • 00:38

    McCarthy fires twice in seconds in damaging double play

    Aisling McCarthy threads the eye skilfully to open proceedings before booting long from distance just moments later

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It was a third straight defeat for the visitors, who are also now 3-3 after making a bright start to the season, with the defeat coming on the back of a 52-point defeat to St Kilda last week.

Star midfielder Kiara Bowers was outstanding for Fremantle, laying a massive 21 tackles to fall just short of her own record of 22, and racking up 22 disposals and 13 contested possessions.

Midfielder Aisling McCarthy was the spark early, kicking back-to-back goals and then pushing on to finish with 24 disposals and eight inside 50s, while Gabby Newton (27 and 10 tackles) was terrific in a complete midfield performance. 

It was a clinical performance from Fremantle, who built their win with relentless tackling pressure (92-63) and a hunger for the contested ball (131-119) in an even team performance.

When the Bombers did go forward, Freo was unrelenting and won critical contests, with Emma O'Driscoll wearing star forward Bonnie Toogood closely in the team's best performance this season. 

Fremantle jumped into the game with a daring and direct style, but it came as a cost as they handed the ball back to Essendon several times through the opening 10 minutes.

Pressure was high and neither team could break through to score, with the game crying out for some class. Enter McCarthy, who slotted back-to-back goals in a minute to turn the contest.

When Georgie Brisbane marked at the top of the goalsquare and converted, and Gabby O'Sullivan snapped accurately, Freo had kicked four unanswered goals in five minutes with the Bombers hardly touching the ball.

Fremantle's tackling pressure and physicality was at another level and they continued to create opportunities in the second term, with Newton and Gabrielle Biedenweg-Webster slotting set shots to open a 36-point lead at the main break.

The Bombers' only score came when Toogood, who had been well held by O'Driscoll, snapped a behind, with Freo entering the main break in complete control.

The second half was more even on the scoreboard and included the Bombers sole goal when Bannister converted on the run, with interest centring on whether Bowers would break her own tackling record as Fremantle reignited their campaign. 

Memorable goal for Docker debutant
Poppy Stockwell was sandwiched between Bombers opponents Chloe Adams and Georgia Clarke when Mim Strom's high kick came down close to the goalline, but the young Docker showed her class to take a clever mark in the third quarter and convert the first goal of her career on debut. A former State cricketer, Stockwell was quiet in the first half but she made a nice cameo to kick the only goal of the third quarter. The South Fremantle product played as a deep forward and, while it didn't always come off, she showed an ability to fly for marks and apply pressure at ground level.  

Next up
The Bombers face the biggest test in the AFLW when they return home to host North Melbourne on Friday, starting at 3.05pm AEST at Windy Hill. Fremantle will also feature on the Grand Final eve public holiday, travelling to take on Carlton at Ikon Park, starting at 5.05pm AEST.

FREMANTLE                    4.0   6.1   7.1   9.2 (56)
ESSENDON                      0.0   0.1   0.1   1.2 (8)  

GOALS
Fremantle: McCarthy 2, Banfield, Beidenweg-Webster, Brisbane, Miller, Newton, O'Sullivan, Stockwell
Essendon: Bannister

BEST
Fremantle: McCarthy, Bowers, Newton, Strom, O'Driscoll, Miller
Essendon: Prespakis, Nanscawen, Wales

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Essendon: Nil

Crowd: TBC at Fremantle Community Bank Oval