Fyfe stars as Dockers down Roos

Fremantle Dockers midfielder Nathan Fyfe in action against North Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Wilkins. Source: PerthNow

ACE Fremantle on-baller Nat Fyfe assumed elite levels of supremacy as the Dockers stormed into the AFL top four in a ruthless strangulation of North Melbourne in Perth.

Fyfe, 21, turned in a stunning near best-afield outing alongside regular big possession-winner Michael Barlow in a total control around congestion and stoppages to stifle North's potential heavy scoring 10.7 (67) to 4.5 (29).
 
It was North's lowest acore in almost 40 years.

The 38-point loss leaves North lamenting in 13th spot on the premiership ladder with only four and wins and eight losses and all but gone for finals in 2013.

Fyfe, Barlow and a relentlessly disciplined Dockers defensive unit astutely marshalled by acting captain Luke McPharlin broke the clash open with four unanswered goals in the second term on the strength of sheer dominance from Fyfe and Barlow.

Fyfe topped his stunning second term with a high-flying grab on the wing to initiate the rapid forward thrust that manufactured Fremantle's fourth major and fifth for the half among his eight possessions for the quarter and 14 overall to the long break.

The stingy Dockers had closed down all of North's more accustomed ball-winners, especially veteran Daniel Wells and Brent Harvey and emerging unheralded defender Lee Spurr held trump Roos sharpshooter and All-Australian small forward prospect Lindsay Thomas goalless.

Thomas was subbed out with a slight left hamstring strain after heading into this round as leader in the Coleman Medal race for top goal-scorer in the league with his 35 majors and had touched the football just four times when he was subbed out 19 minutes into the third term.

Harvey's frustrations boiled over 10 minutes after half-time when he decked nagging Dockers tagger Ryan Crowley with a push into his neck and a 50m penalty for big back man Michael Johnson to take a straight-forward set-shot an ram home Fremantle's first for the third term and sixth overall.

At the long interval North had managed just 12 entries into their attacking 50m arc and only five of them in the defining second term as All-Australian key defensive contender Luke McPharlin and creative running-backs Paul Duffield, Garrick Ibbotson and Michael Johnson all constantly thwarted North scoring hopes.

Fremantle onballer Danyle Pearce can't hide his frustration after missing a goal. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

The Dockers had surged from midfield scrums inside their forward 50m zone 26 times as they generated a hefty 27-point margin and healthy potential match-winning lead.

Fyfe, Barlow, hard-nut tagger Matt de Boer and speedy winger Stephen Hill were all heavily productive as the Dockers established full control through the second term. 

With torrential rain pouring down early a scrappy and tight opening 25 minutes was finally broken when Barlow swopped onto a loose ball with a diving soccer in the Dockers goal-square.

It was easily the lowest combined score of a first term this season, though the miserly Dockers did hold Gold Coast to only two points in their gruelling clash on the Gold Coast in Round 6 early last month.

North captain Andrew Swallow was enterprising in early engagements with important touches around the heavy congestion as he racked up six possessions inside the first 15 minutes after being held to only 10 touches in his side's unexpected loss to Gold Coast before last week's bye.

Tough on-baller Ryan Bastinac was also busy with his collections and approached a double-figure possession tally before the opening change.

Some of the strategic one-on-one assignments contributed to the dogged affair with the fiery Crowley running with the dangerous Harvey and all-rounder Clancee Pearce locking onto the creative Wells, who managed just disposals to half-time as North's finals hopes copped another severe jolt.

North Melbourne captain Andrew Swallow leads his side off the field. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

Harvey, 35, was sent into a deep forward role to offer vital ground level crumbing assistance to tall marking targets Drew Petrie and Aaron Black as well as to potentially limit Crowley's potential damage around the heavy packs forming around midfield.
 
North coach Brad Scott sent gritty nullifier Levi Greenwood onto Fyfe from the outset with the absence of Fremantle's premier stoppages instigator David Mundy who was a late withdrawal with a calf strain.

North had headed into the gruelling tussle without hard-nut Ben Cunnington who missed the clash to remain in Victoria by the side of his ill father.

FREMANTLE   1.3    5.6  7.6   10.7 (67)
NORTH MELBOURNE   0.2    1.3   3.5   4.5 (29)
Best: Fremantle: Fyfe, Barlow, Ibbotson, Hill, McPharlin, C. Pearce, Clarke.
North Melbourne: Swallow, Bastinac, Goldsetin, Gibson, Atley, Macmillan.
Goals: Fremantle:  Suban 2, Mundy, deBoer, Fyfe, Mayne, Hannath, Johnson, Crozier, Walters,
North Melbourne: Mullett, Harvey, Macmillan, Black,

Injuries:
Fremantle: Barlow (facial),  McPharlin (cut eye)
North Melbourne: Thomas (hamstring), Hine (shoulder)

Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Matt Stevic and Jacob Mollison.
Crowd: 31,637.

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