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Duff and Quarters: Fremantle’s comeback win - significant for the Dockers but ignored by Victoria

Josh GarleppThe West Australian
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37 points down, without their number-one ruckman Sean Darcy, young gun Sam Sturt and their four best tall defenders - Fremantle mustered a famous win over St Kilda but the afterparty seemed to be contained to Western Australia.

The West Australian’s chief footy writer Mark Duffield and The Sunday Times sports editor Glen Quartermain noted the significance of the Dockers’ victory on today’s episode of The Duff and Quarters Podcast, the second under new coach Justin Longmuir.

But the pair also noticed the gritty fightback was almost ignored by their east coast counterparts and the range AFL programs on FOX Footy.

“I feel like it didn’t get the coverage (it deserved across the country),” Quartermain said.

“I don’t think they did it justice, that comeback on the weekend.”

“Your perspective is where you view it from and obviously over there they saw other things that caught their attention more,” Duffield replied.

“But certainly from a WA perspective that is a significant win for Fremantle.

“Freo’s comeback, if you put a slab of Freo games in that has to be one of the great wins in their history.

Travis Colyer and Michael Walters of the Dockers celebrate winning the round 6 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and the St Kilda Saints at Metricon Stadium on July 11, 2020 in Gold Coast.
Camera IconTravis Colyer and Michael Walters of the Dockers celebrate winning the round 6 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and the St Kilda Saints at Metricon Stadium on July 11, 2020 in Gold Coast. Credit: Chris Hyde/via AFL Photos

“Even with their captain (Nat Fyfe) marooned in the goal square which was partly due to an allocation of midfield minutes and partly due to a cork.”

The pair looked towards Sunday’s derby, where the two WA side’s coming off back-to-back wins face-off at Optus Stadium.

Alex Pearce, Joel Hamling, Griffin Logue and Brennan Cox are the Dockers four best tall defenders, all of which are currently injured.

Cox is the closest to a return and Duffield argued the importance of the 21-year-old coming back into the side to battle Eagles forward guns.

“Fremantle will be sweating on the fitness of Brennan Cox before the Western Derby.”

“Because if they can’t find a tall defender to go up against Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Oscar Allen and Jake Waterman floating around on the flanks, I fear for the outcome.”

Check out the full podcast above or you can listen and subscribe following the links below.

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2DCokW9

Apple podcasts: https://apple.co/38U89Ps

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