AFL
Brennan Cox withdrawn from WAFL Grand Final

The Western Bulldogs have leapfrogged Fremantle to jump back into the top eight after winning a wind-affected match 6.4 (40) to 4.6 (30) on Saturday.

Conditions were far from cyclonic at Cockburn ARC Oval, yet only a single point was kicked for the entire match to one end of the ground in a situation that would have given the Dogs a feeling of destiny when they trailed by less than a goal at three-quarter time.

The opening term may not have instilled them with such confidence as they failed to score, Fremantle kicking away through majors to Georgie Brisbane and Noa McNaughton.

However, by half-time it was the Bulldogs by 11 points on the back of four second-quarter goals.

  • 04:27

    Lisa Webb post-match

    Webby speaks to the media following our 10 point loss to the Western Bulldogs

    AFLW
  • 02:18

    'We want to get back to playing our footy' | Jess Low

    Defender Jess Low speaks after our 10 point loss to the Western Bulldogs.

    AFLW
  • 00:19

    Miller on the money!

    Hayley Miller strikes true!

    AFLW
  • 00:33

    Brissie goes bang!

    Georgie Brisbane uses the wind perfectly for our first of the day

    AFLW

Alice Edmonds dominated hitouts, but the small Dogs at her feet were having trouble capitalising on her dominance with clearances breaking even across the match despite a 38-16 difference in the taps.

Fremantle took control again when play resumed in the third quarter but wasted opportunities before Hayley Miller kicked truly, followed by the only other goal of the quarter from Kiara Bowers that put the home side back in front at the final change.

Any thought of defending the three-point lead disappeared almost as soon as play resumed, as Heidi Woodley goaled for the Dogs just 17 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Sarah Hartwig put the result to bed with another Bulldogs goal midway through the term.

The Dogs were well served by Isabelle Pritchard (21 disposals, six tackles, six clearances and one goal), Cleo Buttifant (16, four, five and one) and Edmonds who finished with 35 hitouts and 13 disposals.

Bowers was Fremantle's best with 23 touches, eight tackles, eight clearances and a goal.

Next up
The Bulldogs return home to Mission Whitten Oval where they face Port Adelaide on Saturday afternoon, while Fremantle also head east but only as far as Adelaide to take on the Crows early on Sunday afternoon.

FREMANTLE                  2.3    2.3    4.6    4.6 (30)
WESTERN BULLDOGS   0.0    4.2    4.3    6.4 (40)

GOALS
Fremantle: Miller, McNaughton, Brisbane, Bowers
Western Bulldogs: Woodley, Pritchard, McDonald, Hartwig, Buttifant, Bennetts

BEST: 
Fremantle: Bowers, McCarthy, Newton, Strom
Western Bulldogs: Fitzgerald, Pritchard, Kimber, Edmonds

INJURIES: 
Fremantle: TBC
Western Bulldogs: TBC

Crowd: TBC at Cockburn ARC Oval