The road to the grand final

For the Fremantle football club, the first half of the preliminary final at Paterson's Stadium on Saturday night defined their season. Despite kicking 2.11 in the first quarter, the pressure inflicted on the Sydney football club was immense and unrelenting, unfortunately, this was not immediately reflected on the scoreboard.

The game should have been over in the first quarter, Fremantle dominated Sydney around the ground applying intense pressure on the ball carrier denying clean possession to a team under siege, the tackling was intense, if not for Fremantle's poor kicking at goals squandering opportunities, the game should have been closed out at the quarter time break.

The second quarter is where Fremantle displayed total dominance kicking 5.2; allowing Sydney just a solitary point, Fremantle strangled the opposition into submission. Sydney made their move after the long break, however, absorbing the pressure of the fightback, Fremantle countered with late goals. Fremantle won the quarter whilst absorbing the Sydney fightback kicking 4.3 to Sydney 3.3 to win not only on the scoreboard but the psychological battle as well.

Heading into the final term, Fremantle was focusing on the grand final next Saturday. Under no threat of losing; Fremantle played the final quarter out ensuring no injuries or reports preparing for their clash against league leaders Hawthorn for the premiership. Sydney kicked 6.3 to Fremantle's 3.3 closing out the game, for the first time in their history, Fremantle is off to the grand final. 

The atmosphere at the game was electric, the crowd of 44,000 was exceptionally vocal with the purple hue of the supporters dressed in team colours covering nearly every seat in the stadium, it was intimidating to Sydney and it showed.