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PORT Adelaide has fallen to a 27-point defeat at the hands of Fremantle at AAMI Stadium, but can take some comfort from a strong last-quarter fightback.
Fremantle won 11.9 (75) to 6.12 (48) to enhance its finals prospects, but Power - which had managed just two goals to three-quarter time - made inroads in the last term, cutting a 44-point margin at the final change.
Fremantle led by 34 points at the main break, with Power managing a pitiful 12 inside-50s for the first half and a single goal.
A 44-point lead at the last change was a likely springboard for a big win for the visitors, but it was not to be as Port dominated play around the ground and finally made some impact on the scoreboard.
Skipper Matthew Pavlich kicked two goals along with Chris Mayne and Clancee Pearce as Fremantle picked up its 10th win of the season.
Nathan Fyfe was also among Fremantle's best after a lengthy stint on the sidelines following shoulder surgery in May.
For the Power, Brett Ebert tried hard up forward kicking two goals, while Brad Ebert was also effective along with Travis Boak and Daniel Stewart.
Freo jumped Port in the opening quarter with five goals to one to take a 24-point lead into the first break.
A series of defensive errors kept the Power under the pump throughout much of the term with only a goal to Brett Ebert at the 25-minute mark relieving some of the pressure.
By the main break Fremantle had extended the lead to 34 points but inaccurate kicking kept Port in the game.
The visitors added 1.5 for the term but restricted the Power to just a solitary point despite the home side kicking with the aid of a handy breeze.
In the third term the Power failed to kick a major, with Fremantle adding three to extend the lead to 44 points as Pavlich started to have an impact up forward.
With percentage likely to be critical in the make up of the finals, Fremantle will be angry at letting slip a chance to make up ground on North Melbourne with its final quarter fade out.
PORT ADELAIDE 1.2 1.3 2.7 6.12 (48)
FREMANTLE 5.2 6.7 9.9 11.9 (75)
GOALS?
Port Adelaide: Brett Ebert 2, Stewart, Boak, Westhoff, Cornes
Fremantle: Mayne 2, Pearce 2, Pavlich 2, Fyfe, Mundy, Mzungu, Sutcliffe, Walters??
BEST?
Port Adelaide: Boak, Cassisi, Lobbe, Moore, Brad Ebert, Pearce
Fremantle: Barlow, Pearce, Fyfe, Pavlich, Mundy, Duffield
INJURIES?
Port Adelaide: Nil
Fremantle: Nil?
SUBS:
Port Adelaide: Aaron Young replaced Jackson Trengove in the fourth quarter
Fremantle: Cameron Sutcliffe replaced Michael Walters in the fourth quarter
?Reports
Port Adelaide: Nil
Fremantle: Nil??
Umpires: Foot, Ryan, Mollison??
Official crowd: 14,583 at AAMI Stadium??
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
