Fremantle have emerged three-point winners over Collingwood to secure their third straight AFLW victory which keeps them top of the Conference B ladder.
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The Dockers and Magpies came into the contest undefeated after two rounds of the 2020 season.
The Pies dominated most areas with 93 more possessions, 13 extra inside-50 entries and the only six marks in attack but their hosts applied ferocious pressure with 73 tackles and were more efficient in attack to win 5.3 (33) to 4.6 (30) at Fremantle Oval on Saturday.
Hayley Miller finished with 13 possessions for the Dockers, Philipa Seth and Jasmin Stewart had 12, and Kiara Bowers 10 to go with 14 tackles.
Jaimee Lambert was brilliant for Collingwood with 32 possessions while Sarah Rowe collected 22 disposals, Brittany Bonnici 20 and Brianna Davey 18.
Sharni Layton continues to go grow in the ruck with 10 touches, 26 hit-outs and a goal after a strong overhead mark.
Against the run of play, Fremantle managed three goals to one in the opening quarter. But the Magpies got on top in the second to lead by five points at the main break having had 23 inside-50 entries to six.
The Dockers went to the scoring end in the third term and got back in front with goals to Ebony Antonio and Roxanne Roux before the Magpies got one back on the siren through the brilliant Lambert.
Collingwood controlled much of the final quarter but Fremantle's defence proved impenetrable.
"We hung in there and I thought we actually played pretty well in the second half, and sort of controlled it as much as you can in those situations," Freo coach Trent Cooper said.
"We were probably lucky to be as close as we were at halftime, and I'm just really happy with how resilient we were and to finish the game that strongly."
Collingwood coach Steve Symonds acknowledged his team's dominance in most areas bar finishing off their good work.
"It certainly was a tough, physical game. Fremantle are very much a good pressure team and they certainly brought that in the second half," Symonds said.
"We couldn't quite execute the right thing at the right time, but we are on track with the way we want to play. There are signs there that we're still improving and going in the right direction. We just lacked a little polish."
Australian Associated Press
