FREMANTLE has survived a gritty Essendon and the loss of two of its biggest stars, with big-name recruit Eden Zanker standing up to seal a 15-point win against the Bombers at Cockburn ARC Oval on Sunday. 

Fremantle lost star ruck Mim Strom pre-game due to shoulder soreness, while dual All-Australian defender Emma O'Driscoll was sidelined minutes into the game with an ankle injury. 

The team steadied, however, to secure its first ever win at the club's Cockburn home ground, moving to 3-2 and winning 5.7 (37) to 3.4 (22) after Zanker marked late in the game and converted her set shot.

It was a physical contest and both teams paid a price, with Essendon also losing Daria Bannister during the third quarter to a quad issue, while Bess Keaney copped a head knock during the desperate final term after a heavy bump from Bella Smith.

Midfielder Kiara Bowers was the star for Fremantle, finishing with 26 disposals (17 contested), nine tackles and five clearances, and relishing the contested style of the game, with Gabby Newton (22 and six clearances) also excellent. 

Experienced forwards Gabby O'Sullivan and Hayley Miller each stood up at crucial moments to provide a spark, while Holly Egan was terrific in defence with her intercepting and one-on-one work.

Essendon jet Madison Prespakis carried a massive workload for the Bombers and finished with a game-high 34 disposals and 501m gained, with ruck Steph Wales capitalising on the absence of Strom to finish with 26 hitouts.  

Connection in the forward half was a major issue for both teams in the opening quarter, with the combined 12 inside 50s for both teams resulting in only two behinds for Fremantle in a goalless quarter.

It was a quarter played largely between the arcs as the interceptors on both sides got to work, with Egan and Ange Stannett starring early for Freo with a combined eight intercepts, and Prespakis dominating in the midfield for the Bombers with 10 disposals.

The pressure being applied from both teams was the standout trait of the game, and it took until the five-minute mark of the second term for the first goal to be kicked as third-game Noa McNaughton snapped with class from a tight ankle. 

Megan Kauffman benefited from a 50m penalty under the stand rule to kick a goal in her 50th game to open a 15-point lead, with the Bombers needing to sort out their ball-movement to get a foothold in the game.

Former Freo player Steph Cain provided a spark with her run and dare, and Bonnie Toogood stood up to take contested mark and then convert from a tight angle, cutting the margin at half time to seven points. 

The margin was back out to 15 after Bowers laid a crunching tackle to set up a goal for Miller, but Essendon showed grit to respond and produce its best period of the game. 

The visitors' attack on the ball and pressure lifted, and scoring opportunities resulted, with Maggie Johnstone and Nalu Brothwell both kicking running goals to cut the margin to two points. 

O'Sullivan was crucial for the Freo after a quiet first half that netted just one disposal, racking up seven disposals (six contested) and drawing a free kick inside 50 in the final minute to kick a crucial goal.

The Bombers looked dangerous early in the fourth, particularly when chaining handballs from half-back, but they missed their opportunities that could have turned the game. 

Fremantle, meanwhile, showed composure and an ability to lock the ball in their forward half, with Zanker kicking the only goal of the quarter with her strength in the contest.

Next up 
Fremantle remains at home next week to take on the Western Bulldogs at Cockburn ARC Oval on Saturday, having beaten the Bulldogs by 14 points when the teams clashed at Fremantle Oval in 2024. Essendon faces Gold Coast at Windy Hill on Sunday and remains in search of its first win for the season.

FREMANTLE    0.2   2.3   4.5   5.7   (37) 
ESSENDON 0.0   1.2   3.3   3.4       (22)

GOALS 
Fremantle: Kauffman, McNaughton, Miller, O'Sullivan, Zanker
Essendon: Toogood, Johnstone, Brothwell 

BEST
Fremantle: Bowers, Newton, Egan, Verrier, Kauffman, O'Sullivan, Healy 
Essendon: Prespakis, Wales, Cain, Toogood, Gaylor 

INJURIES
Fremantle: O'Driscoll (ankle)
Essendon: Bannister (quad), Keaney (head knock) 

LATE CHANGES
Fremantle: Mim Strom (soreness) replaced in the selected side by Tunisha Kikoak  
Essendon: Nil 

 Crowd: 1858 at Cockburn ARC Oval