With the Australia v South Africa test match playing on the tv upstairs, Fremantle could only muster a half strength side with the likes of Luke McPharlin, Justin Longmuir, Jeff Farmer, Robbie Haddrill and Paul Haslbey settling in on Schwabby's couch, so not much was expected against a full strength Port Adelaide side.

No one remembered to tell the Freo players they were at half strength though. They ran riot in the first half.

Possibly as a result of the poor lighting up where he is combined with his cat like night vision, Aaron Sandilands seemed to take his ruck dominance up another notch. Tapping the ball down to team mates like he was reaching up to the top shelf and getting the cheap tins of cat food for old ladies at the supermarket. Adding to his rucking brilliance, he took a screamer in the forward line and followed it up with a goal that sent the crowd into a frenzy, nearly bringing down three Doig constructions.

Matthew Pavlich seemed to have found his kicking foot after a forgettable week in front of goals in the NAB Cup semi final, slotting through a lazy 4 before heading upstairs to see Mike Hussy bat (what he did for the other 90 minutes is anyone's guess).

Fremantle made Port Adelaide look foolish for most of the half, which is no mean feat when you consider that the Port boys choose to wear teal at every given opportunity. They kicked 12 goals to Port's 2 which had most of the crowd prepared to invoke the mercy rule and send Choco's mob back to South Australia at the long break.

There were plenty of others lesser light shining too. Ryan Crowley didn't seem to have taken last weeks loss well and through the binoculars you could see he was litterally busting a gut - and for a change it wasn't his opponents gut getting busted.

In the shadows of the stairwell where it was pointed out to his uncle that he could have the rest of the day off (and the season) Marcus Drum put his hand up for a game in Round 1. Kicking 3 goals and looking very much like a footballer.
Daniel Gilmore always looks good playing at Fremantle Oval so there were no surprises when he started getting plenty of the ball, David Mundy continued a classy pre-season and Dessy Headland is winding up for a big season if he can keep his ankles together.

Roger Hayden got through the game okay. He wasn't back to his brilliant best but showed glimpses of why Fremantle want him back so badly.

Being the home of the Bulldogs, it was a night for the rough blokes to make a name for themselves too. McManus and Dodd roamed the packs settling scores, getting kicks and getting their kicks. Cookie was in amongst it too and Byron Schammer got himself back in the game. With that sort of fire power in the centre, much to the delight of the crowd, a fracas started at three quarter time, overlapping into a donnybrook and finishing in an all out brawl. Shaun McManus picked up the three Brad Dodd Medal votes for the brawl, Schammer picked up 2 and the one vote went to Dew for going down like Phil Read.

With the game over at half time, Fremantle rested what big name players they had, so Port made their way back into the game in the third quarter but the fighting seemed to rattle them and the Dockers stormed home to win by a sensible 58 points.

Scores

Fremantle 4.2 12.3 14.7 19.9 123 Pt Adelaide 1.4 2.5 7.10 9.11 65

Goals

Fremantle   Pavlich 4   Drum 3   Crowley 3   Cook 2   Dodd 2   Campbell 2   Headland 1   Gilmore 1                           Pt Adelaide     Salopek 1   Thomson 1   Motlop 1   Pearce 1   White 1   Dew 1   Cassisi 1   Ebert 1   Pettigrew 1

Guv'ner Medal Votes

Aaron Sandilands 3 Ryan Crowley 2 Shaun McManus 1