Heartbreak at Home: Fremantle’s Finals Campaign Ends in One-Point Thriller Against Gold Coast

Historic Night Ends in Disappointment for Dockers

In a dramatic elimination final at Optus Stadium, the Fremantle Dockers’ 2025 finals campaign came to a heartbreaking end, falling to the Gold Coast Suns by a single point. The match saw the Suns claim their first-ever finals victory, with veteran David Swallow proving the hero by kicking the decisive behind with just seconds remaining.

Dramatic Final Quarter

The home crowd of 57,507 fans were sent into a frenzy when Fremantle mounted a spectacular comeback, booting four consecutive goals in the final quarter. The Dockers even claimed a six-point lead with just over three minutes remaining through Luke Jackson’s mark and goal. However, the Suns showed remarkable resilience, with Mac Andrew levelling the scores with just over a minute left.

Key Performances

The match featured several standout moments, including back-to-back goals from small forward Isaiah Dudley, which ignited the crowd and fuelled belief in a comeback. These majors came from excellent delivery by Andrew Brayshaw.

Ruck Battle

A crucial aspect of the match was the ruck contest between Fremantle’s twin towers Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson against the Suns’ Jarrod Witts. Despite Jackson’s late goal, it was Witts who dominated the hitouts with 44 and gathered 21 disposals, including eight clearances.

Looking Ahead

The result sets up an exciting Queensland derby in the semi-finals, with Gold Coast now scheduled to face Brisbane at the Gabba next Saturday. For Fremantle, it marks the end of a season that showed promise but ultimately fell short in front of their home crowd.