Fremantle and Sydney do battle at Optus Stadium on Friday night, with players pledging to pay tribute to late Docker Cam McCarthy.
McCarthy tragically died on Thursday night, with his former Freo teammates and Sydney opponents pledging to hold a moment’s silence before the first bounce on Friday, and wear black armbands for the contest.
“He was fun loving, he was notably kind. He had an infectious personality and he left a trail of smiles and laughter wherever he went and with who he interacted with,” Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick said pre-game.
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“Cam was incredibly popular with his teammates, his coaches, football club staff and our fans loved him.
“There’s going to be plenty of people within the Fremantle family and the broader football community that will be mourning today.
“Before the bounce as the teams gather to have their final huddle… the teams are going to get together and instead pause for a moment’s silence to recognise Cam.
“We felt this was both an appropriate and fitting recognition of what was an incredibly significant contribution to our club from Cam and the broader football community.”
Fremantle opted to start veteran Michael Walters as the sub while Sydney went with Robbie Fox.
Sydney has won three of its past five matches against Fremantle, with the Swans winning their past two against the Dockers at Optus Stadium by an average margin of 23 points.
The match gets underway at 8:30pm AEST from Optus Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Sports 503, streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl, from 8:20pm AEST.
QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT
There were sombre scenes pre-game as players from both teams lined up in their respective ends of the field side-by-side as tribute to late Docker Cam McCarthy.
Freo captain Alex Pearce was seen wiping away tears while teammates were visibly emotional during the moment’s silence which had all at the stadium on their feet.
Moments later, it was game on with both sides forced to switch on immediately.
Docker Caleb Serong had the first clear shot on goal but couldn’t make the distance from 50m.
And when Andrew Brayshaw was marched forward, he found Patrick Voss leading straight through the corridor – but the second-gamer couldn’t convert.
Down the other end, it took just a fraction of a second for Logan McDonald to get ball to boot and nail a ripping snap for the game’s first goal.
“An amazing finish from Logan McDonald. What a kick!!” Fox Footy’s Matthew Pavlich praised.
McDonald then unselfishly dished the hands to Will Hayward inside 50 to punish a “wasteful” Freo who had all the territory but couldn’t put it on the scoreboard.
It took some goal line brilliance from Dockers youngster Jye Amiss to help Brandon Walker convert Freo’s first and reduce Sydney’s lead.
At the first change it was Sydney leading 18-11.
Swan Chad Warner silenced the Perth crowd when he launched a bomb off a couple of steps outside the arc, and down the other end, Amiss couldn’t land his set shot.
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Source Agencies
