Bolton brilliance helps Dockers cause a giant boilover
Shai Bolton lived up to the hype as he directed Fremantle to a 34-point victory over GWS to help the Dockers stay in touch with the AFL top eight.
Fremantle's star recruit put on a clinic as Justin Longmuir's side snapped their two-game losing streak with a 13.17 (95) to 8.13 (61) victory on Saturday in their Sir Doug Nicholls Round fixture.
Fremantle squared their season ledger at 5-5 with their first win at Engie Stadium, moving from 12th to ninth on the live ladder.
Bolton led the way with three goals, 24 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 10 score involvements, despite a groin issue and occasional attention from GWS tagger Toby Bedford.
Bedford was also sent to Angus Brayshaw, but the midfielder had his fair share of the ball (28 disposals, three clearances) alongside Caleb Serong (35, seven).
Michael Frederick was also influential in attack for the Dockers, finishing with three goals and 11 score involvements to celebrate his 25th birthday in style.
"This week we tried to put away any headlines and talk about performing on the road and all those things that actually don't help you play well," Longmuir said.
"We just got back to the behaviours we want to see throughout the week and have been really clear on the controllables.
"Things like communication, moving on from mistakes, the connection piece, how we hunt the opposition versus getting hunted.
"It doesn't matter where you play, who you play - you can bring those things, they're all controllable."
Meanwhile, the Giants (5-5) are eighth after suffering their fourth loss in five matches.
"Not much went right tonight, did it?" Giants coach Adam Kingsley said.
"(We) didn't get centre bounce, didn't defend, didn't work, didn't move the ball.
"In all aspects of the game, we looked flat. We hope that's a one-week thing and we move on pretty quickly and it won't look like that next week."
Kingsley added, referring to their past two runs to the finals: "I'm not concerned because I know how it ends, so long as it ends the same way."
Finn Callaghan played through discomfort in a bid to spark the home side with 24 disposals and seven clearances, as defensive Lachies - Ash (29) and Whitfield (24) - worked under the pump.
But the highly rated midfielder will be sent for scans on his right shoulder following a collision with Fremantle's Patrick Voss after the third-quarter-time siren.
GWS also lost young midfielder Toby McMullin, substituted out at halftime with an adductor injury.
The Giants had opened the scoring, with small forward Darcy Jones needing just 46 seconds to draw first blood on his return from a knee injury.
But it was Frederick who was the first-quarter star in attack, kicking two goals to help put the visitors ahead by six points.
Voss almost provided a first-term highlight when he burned off Giants defenders Jack Buckley and Sam Taylor near the boundary line, but could only get a behind for his effort.
The Dockers continued to dominate but were wasteful with their chances in the second quarter, kicking 2.6 (18) to 2.1 (13).
They rallied after the break, with Bolton selling some candy for his third goal, and defender Cooper Simpson slotting his first to cruise to victory as GWS struggled to execute basic skills.
Shai Bolton lived up to the hype as he directed Fremantle to a 34-point victory over GWS to help the Dockers stay in touch with the AFL top eight.
Fremantle's star recruit put on a clinic as Justin Longmuir's side snapped their two-game losing streak with a 13.17 (95) to 8.13 (61) victory on Saturday in their Sir Doug Nicholls Round fixture.
Fremantle squared their season ledger at 5-5 with their first win at Engie Stadium, moving from 12th to ninth on the live ladder.
Bolton led the way with three goals, 24 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 10 score involvements, despite a groin issue and occasional attention from GWS tagger Toby Bedford.
Bedford was also sent to Angus Brayshaw, but the midfielder had his fair share of the ball (28 disposals, three clearances) alongside Caleb Serong (35, seven).
Michael Frederick was also influential in attack for the Dockers, finishing with three goals and 11 score involvements to celebrate his 25th birthday in style.
"This week we tried to put away any headlines and talk about performing on the road and all those things that actually don't help you play well," Longmuir said.
"We just got back to the behaviours we want to see throughout the week and have been really clear on the controllables.
"Things like communication, moving on from mistakes, the connection piece, how we hunt the opposition versus getting hunted.
"It doesn't matter where you play, who you play - you can bring those things, they're all controllable."
Meanwhile, the Giants (5-5) are eighth after suffering their fourth loss in five matches.
"Not much went right tonight, did it?" Giants coach Adam Kingsley said.
"(We) didn't get centre bounce, didn't defend, didn't work, didn't move the ball.
"In all aspects of the game, we looked flat. We hope that's a one-week thing and we move on pretty quickly and it won't look like that next week."
Kingsley added, referring to their past two runs to the finals: "I'm not concerned because I know how it ends, so long as it ends the same way."
Finn Callaghan played through discomfort in a bid to spark the home side with 24 disposals and seven clearances, as defensive Lachies - Ash (29) and Whitfield (24) - worked under the pump.
But the highly rated midfielder will be sent for scans on his right shoulder following a collision with Fremantle's Patrick Voss after the third-quarter-time siren.
GWS also lost young midfielder Toby McMullin, substituted out at halftime with an adductor injury.
The Giants had opened the scoring, with small forward Darcy Jones needing just 46 seconds to draw first blood on his return from a knee injury.
But it was Frederick who was the first-quarter star in attack, kicking two goals to help put the visitors ahead by six points.
Voss almost provided a first-term highlight when he burned off Giants defenders Jack Buckley and Sam Taylor near the boundary line, but could only get a behind for his effort.
The Dockers continued to dominate but were wasteful with their chances in the second quarter, kicking 2.6 (18) to 2.1 (13).
They rallied after the break, with Bolton selling some candy for his third goal, and defender Cooper Simpson slotting his first to cruise to victory as GWS struggled to execute basic skills.
Shai Bolton lived up to the hype as he directed Fremantle to a 34-point victory over GWS to help the Dockers stay in touch with the AFL top eight.
Fremantle's star recruit put on a clinic as Justin Longmuir's side snapped their two-game losing streak with a 13.17 (95) to 8.13 (61) victory on Saturday in their Sir Doug Nicholls Round fixture.
Fremantle squared their season ledger at 5-5 with their first win at Engie Stadium, moving from 12th to ninth on the live ladder.
Bolton led the way with three goals, 24 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 10 score involvements, despite a groin issue and occasional attention from GWS tagger Toby Bedford.
Bedford was also sent to Angus Brayshaw, but the midfielder had his fair share of the ball (28 disposals, three clearances) alongside Caleb Serong (35, seven).
Michael Frederick was also influential in attack for the Dockers, finishing with three goals and 11 score involvements to celebrate his 25th birthday in style.
"This week we tried to put away any headlines and talk about performing on the road and all those things that actually don't help you play well," Longmuir said.
"We just got back to the behaviours we want to see throughout the week and have been really clear on the controllables.
"Things like communication, moving on from mistakes, the connection piece, how we hunt the opposition versus getting hunted.
"It doesn't matter where you play, who you play - you can bring those things, they're all controllable."
Meanwhile, the Giants (5-5) are eighth after suffering their fourth loss in five matches.
"Not much went right tonight, did it?" Giants coach Adam Kingsley said.
"(We) didn't get centre bounce, didn't defend, didn't work, didn't move the ball.
"In all aspects of the game, we looked flat. We hope that's a one-week thing and we move on pretty quickly and it won't look like that next week."
Kingsley added, referring to their past two runs to the finals: "I'm not concerned because I know how it ends, so long as it ends the same way."
Finn Callaghan played through discomfort in a bid to spark the home side with 24 disposals and seven clearances, as defensive Lachies - Ash (29) and Whitfield (24) - worked under the pump.
But the highly rated midfielder will be sent for scans on his right shoulder following a collision with Fremantle's Patrick Voss after the third-quarter-time siren.
GWS also lost young midfielder Toby McMullin, substituted out at halftime with an adductor injury.
The Giants had opened the scoring, with small forward Darcy Jones needing just 46 seconds to draw first blood on his return from a knee injury.
But it was Frederick who was the first-quarter star in attack, kicking two goals to help put the visitors ahead by six points.
Voss almost provided a first-term highlight when he burned off Giants defenders Jack Buckley and Sam Taylor near the boundary line, but could only get a behind for his effort.
The Dockers continued to dominate but were wasteful with their chances in the second quarter, kicking 2.6 (18) to 2.1 (13).
They rallied after the break, with Bolton selling some candy for his third goal, and defender Cooper Simpson slotting his first to cruise to victory as GWS struggled to execute basic skills.
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