In the compressed arithmetic of a football season, three points can close a door entirely. Fremantle's 2023 campaign came to its quiet end on Sunday in Brisbane, where a 17-point lead dissolved in the final quarter and a three-point defeat left the Dockers mathematically unable to reach the finals. It is the kind of loss that lingers — not because the margin was large, but because it was so small, and because the team had shown, in moments, exactly what they might have been.
Fremantle's finals hopes end in three-point loss to Brisbane Lions
A gap small enough to haunt the club through the off-season
Mark
So they had a 17-point lead and still lost by three. How does that even happen in a professional game?
Mimi
The last quarter was just relentless. Fremantle would score, Brisbane would answer. It went back and forth—Amiss with that incredible mark, then Daniher, then Gunston, then Sturt. By the time it mattered most, Brisbane had the momentum.
Luke
But let's be clear: Fremantle's season was already on life support before this game. They needed to win out and get help from other results. This loss just made it official.
Mark
What about the individual performances? The article mentions Young and Jackson had strong games.
Mimi
Young had 29 possessions and over 400 metres gained, and he actually shut down Lachie Neale early. Jackson was solid as the main ruckman—24 disposals, 44 hit-outs. Serong had 35 possessions. These are the kinds of numbers that suggest the foundation is there.
Luke
Right, but that's the frustrating part for Fremantle fans. The individual performances were fine. They just couldn't win the close ones when it mattered. They beat Geelong the week before, so they showed they could compete, but they couldn't do it twice.
Mark
So what's the realistic outlook for next season?
Mimi
They're in 15th place now. If Young and Jackson can build on this and the team stays healthy, there's a path back. But they need consistency, not just flashes.
Luke
The hard truth is they won a final last year and they're still in 15th. That's the real story. One good game doesn't change the trajectory. They need a sustained turnaround, not just hope.
Mark
Fair point. So this loss—it's not just about missing finals this year. It's about whether this group can actually compete.
Mimi
Exactly. The talent is there. The question is whether they can put it together over a full season.
The Pulse
- Fremantle entered the match needing near-perfection in their remaining games just to have a chance at the eight — and instead surrendered a 17-point lead in the final quarter.
- The last term became a frantic exchange of momentum: lead changes, spectacular marks, soccered goals, and a crowd ignited by Sam Sturt's boundary-side set shot kept the result in genuine doubt until the final minute.
- Michael Frederick's stunning goal with 69 seconds left cut the deficit to two points, but Caleb Serong's last-gasp kick inside 50 found no target, and Brisbane cleared to seal the win.
- The three-point loss is mathematically decisive — even a perfect run home yields only 11 wins across 23 games, a tally that falls short of finals qualification.
- Fremantle now sit 15th, their season effectively over, while Brisbane remain in contention for a top-two finish — the gap between the two clubs' trajectories could not be starker.
In the compressed arithmetic of a football season, three points can close a door entirely. Fremantle's 2023 campaign came to its quiet end on Sunday in Brisbane, where a 17-point lead dissolved in the final quarter and a three-point defeat left the Dockers mathematically unable to reach the finals. It is the kind of loss that lingers — not because the margin was large, but because it was so small, and because the team had shown, in moments, exactly what they might have been.
Fremantle's 2023 season ended not with a collapse but with a margin of three points — enough to eliminate them from finals contention entirely and leave them stranded in 15th place. The Dockers lost to Brisbane 11.8 (74) to 11.11 (77) on Sunday, a result that closed the last remaining door. Even winning every game remaining, Fremantle could manage only 11 wins across the 23-game season — short of what finals football requires.
The defeat was made more painful by how much of the game Fremantle controlled. They built a 17-point lead and carried it into the final quarter, when the match unravelled in a series of momentum swings. Scores were level at three-quarter time. Brisbane kicked first in the last, but Jye Amiss answered with a one-handed contested mark against the goalpost and converted. Then Joe Daniher soccered one, Jack Gunston added another, and the deficit mounted. Sam Sturt's boundary-side set shot kept the Dockers alive, but Lincoln McCarthy's tackle on Liam Henry allowed Brisbane to regain possession, and Eric Hipwood finished the move to seemingly seal it.
Fremantle refused to concede. A chain of handballs through Michael Walters, Sam Switkowski, and Michael Frederick produced a stunning goal that cut the margin to two points with 69 seconds left. But Caleb Serong's left-foot kick inside 50 found no target, Brisbane cleared, and the game was gone.
There were individual performances worth carrying into next year. Hayden Young, moved into the midfield, gathered 29 possessions and more than 400 metres gained while limiting Lachie Neale early. Luke Jackson was dominant in the ruck with 24 disposals, five clearances, and 44 hit-outs. Serong finished with 35 possessions and 10 clearances. Sturt's three goals offered a glimpse of his potential. But individual quality could not substitute for the collective consistency the Dockers lacked across the season. The focus now turns to 2024, and whether Young, Jackson, and the group can translate promise into a genuine finals campaign.
Fremantle's season ended not with a bang but with a three-point margin—a gap small enough to haunt the club through the off-season. The Dockers lost to Brisbane 11.8 (74) to 11.11 (77) on Sunday, a result that mathematically eliminated them from finals contention and left them stranded in 15th place with no realistic path back into the eight.
The loss was particularly bitter because Fremantle had controlled much of the game. They built a 17-point lead and held it into the final quarter, when the match became a back-and-forth affair that could have gone either way. The Dockers had needed everything to break right in their run home—wins in every remaining game and favorable results elsewhere—just to have a chance. This loss closed that door entirely. Even if Fremantle won every match from here, they could finish with only 11 wins across the 23-game season, a tally that falls short of the threshold for finals football.
The final quarter was a study in momentum shifts. Scores were level at three-quarter time after a frantic period where the lead changed hands repeatedly. Brisbane kicked first in the last, but Jye Amiss answered with a spectacular one-handed contested mark taken tight against the goalpost, converting the set shot to put Fremantle back in front. That advantage lasted only moments. Joe Daniher soccered a goal from close range, Jack Gunston added another, and suddenly Fremantle faced a mounting deficit. Sam Sturt responded with a set shot from near the boundary to keep the Dockers in it, igniting the crowd. Brisbane's response was swift: Lincoln McCarthy laid a crucial tackle on Liam Henry, the Lions regained possession, and Eric Hipwood finished the move with a goal that seemed to seal the game.
Fremantle refused to fold. Michael Walters produced a crucial contest, found Sam Switkowski, who located Michael Frederick, and Frederick kicked a stunning goal to narrow the gap to two points with 69 seconds remaining. The Dockers had one final chance in the dying seconds, but Caleb Serong's left-foot kick inside 50 found no target, and Brisbane took the ball forward to secure the win.
Individually, Fremantle had performances worth building on. Hayden Young, deployed in the midfield, finished with 29 possessions and more than 400 metres gained, effectively shutting down Lachie Neale early before the Brisbane midfielder finished with 25 disposals and a strong final quarter. Luke Jackson, operating as the primary ruckman, had 24 disposals, five clearances, six tackles, and won 44 hit-outs while kicking 1.2. Caleb Serong was prolific with 35 possessions and 10 clearances. Andrew Brayshaw contributed 29 touches, and Sam Sturt's three-goal performance offered a glimpse of what he might become.
Yet individual brilliance could not overcome the collective failure. Fremantle had beaten Geelong the previous week at GMHBA Stadium to show what they were capable of, but they could not string together the consecutive wins their position demanded. The Lions, meanwhile, remained in contention for the top two, sitting just 1.1 per cent behind second-placed Melbourne. For Fremantle, the focus now shifts to next season, when Young, Jackson, and the rest of the roster will need to prove they can climb out of 15th place and back into genuine finals contention.
Notable Quotes
Fremantle had needed everything to break right in their run home—wins in every remaining game and favorable results elsewhere—just to have a chance.— Match context
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