Fremantle have fallen off the pace in their strive for mediocrity, losing to North Melbourne despite North Melbourne spending the first three quarters doing an uncanny impression of a sprinkler. It was a tight low scoring affair for much of the afternoon, with North Melbourne needing 6 shots for every Freo goal but when the game was on the line in the last, the Kangaroos straightened up, the umpires went crooked and Freo folded, losing by 28 points.