Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Fremantle forward Josh Treacy insists it’s not all “doom and gloom”, despite his team’s horror-show display in their 32-point qualifying final loss to Hawthorn.
In front of a sell-out home crowd of 59,446 fans at Optus Stadium on Thursday night, the Dockers were held to just one first-half goal in arguably their worst performance of the season.
Fremantle won the inside-50m count 57-51, but their pressured entries meant the likes of Jye Amiss, Patrick Voss and Treacy were starved of good supply.
Amiss kicked one goal from five disposals, Treacy’s only kick of the game came in the dying minutes when he converted a set shot, while Voss registered only a single behind from 11 possessions.
The trio had combined for 153 goals during the regular season, but barely fired a shot against Hawthorn’s stingy defence.
The 10.12 (72) to 5.10 (40) loss means Fremantle must now face either Geelong or Carlton in a home elimination semi-final next week.
If they make it through that, they will then have to win an away preliminary final in order to reach the decider.
Treacy’s four-disposal outing was his quietest display since 2023, and a host of the team’s other stars also struggled in the cauldron of finals football.
But the All-Australian forward insists Fremantle have what it takes to bounce back.
“That’s the beauty of finishing in the top four – the double chance,” Treacy said.
“We’ve got next week, so it’s certainly not all doom and gloom.
“We’ve been in this position before throughout the year (when we’ve lost).
“So (we need to) rally the boys together as a collective, like we have all year, and continue to get better, because clearly our game’s got improvement in it.”
Fremantle’s score of 1.4 (10) was the lowest first-half total by a VFL/AFL minor premier in a final since 1920.
Dockers skipper Alex Pearce conceded his team looked rushed under Hawthorn’s intense pressure.
But given Fremantle won this year’s minor premiership and strung together a club-record 14-match winning streak, Pearce believes the Dockers can bounce back.
“It’s my job, it’s our leaders’ job, coaches, to make sure we’ve got a sense of calm,” he told Channel 7.
“We’re still in control of our own destiny. It’s a really exciting position to be in to know that we can win to go through to a preliminary final.”
Fremantle defender Brandon Walker could miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury, while key back Brennan Cox (calf) is unlikely to return for the semi-final as he continues his recovery.
Judd McVee looms as the most likely inclusion after he was dropped for the qualifying final in favour of Walker, who did a sound job on Nick Watson before being injured in the third quarter.
