Live: Kangaroos seek top 10 spot ahead of Dockers—Suns finale

ABC News

SportsABC News·Jun 28, 2026·11 min read

Live: Kangaroos seek top 10 spot ahead of Dockers—Suns finale

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 2:56pm

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The Fremantle Dockers keep rolling along, winning their 14th straight game with a dominant victory over Gold Coast after the Kangaroos beat Essendon.

Essendon was trying to win only its second game of the season, but although the Bombers hung in all day, they could not make the breakthrough, going down by 14 points to North Melbourne at Docklands.

In Perth, Fremantle began in brilliant fashion and were never headed, as they ran away with a 51-point victory over Gold Coast.

Star ruckman Luke Jackson said he had used the Suns' finals win over Fremantle in Perth last season as motivation, and warned that he had "so much growth (left)".

He and the Dockers left Gold Coast with no answers. Jackson starred with 15 disposals, four clearances, 17 hitouts, seven score involvements and two goals.

Dynamic forward Miohael Frederick kicked three goals in the opening term and four for the day, while Andrew Brayshaw led the way with 29 disposals and a goal.

Jed Walter kicked two goals for the Suns, who only managed four majors for the whole game.

The Dockers now lead the AFL ladder by two clear games over the Sydney Swans.

Look back at how all the action unfolded in our live blog.

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Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 3:13pm

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Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 8:19pm

That's where we'll leave it

By Andrew McGarry

So that's it for round 16. If the Brisbane Lions began the round with a statement win over Sydney, then the Dockers were equally impressive in the final game of the weekend as they stretched their winning streak to 14.

The clear ladder-leaders are favourites for a top-two finish, which means all roads to the grand final are likely to go through Perth.

Elsewhere North Melbourne won a third game in a row, albeit against a Bombers side that has won just one game all year.

We'll probably need some more supporting evidence before annointing the Kangaroos to hold a wild card spot all the way to the end.

The bye rounds are all over now, so we will have the full nine games to bring you for round 17, beginning on Thursday night with another ripping matchup between Geelong and Brisbane at Kardinia Park.

In the meantime, I'm Andrew McGarry, thanking you for joining us and wishing you all a very good night.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 8:08pm

Match report: Suns humbled as Dockers snare sweet revenge in Perth

By Andrew McGarry

The pressure on Gold Coast is set to go into overdrive after the Suns produced a horror show on the way to a 51-point loss to Fremantle at Perth Stadium.

Murphy Reid (28 disposals) produced a midfield masterclass and Michael Frederick kicked an equal career-high four goals as Fremantle notched their 14th win on the trot with a 11.14 (80) to 3.11 (29) triumph in front of 50,602 fans in Perth.

The win catapulted Fremantle (14-1) two wins clear of second-placed Sydney and three and a half wins clear of third-placed Hawthorn, with a top-two finish well and truly theirs for the taking.

Gold Coast (7-8) started the year as one of the premiership favourites, but are now on a five-match losing run and face a big battle to turn their season around.

The Suns only had two majors to their name against Fremantle until Jed Walter ran into an open goal in the dying minutes of the match.

Some of Gold Coast's errors were so bad it left coach Damien Hardwick with his hands on his head in frustration in the box.

Although Gold Coast won the clearance battle 36-24, they failed to capitalise because of some horrendous decision-making and poor skill execution.

Damningly, Gold Coast lost the tackle count 66-44 despite having 64 fewer disposals for the match.

Noah Anderson (32 disposals, eight clearances) battled hard, but fellow midfield star Christian Petracca (17 disposals, five clearances) was quiet while spending large periods in attack.

Forward Bailey Humphrey (no score from six disposals) endured another lean outing, while out-of-contract spearhead Ben King was restricted to 1.2 from seven disposals.

Fremantle had winners all over the field.

And Dockers ruckman Sean Darcy made a welcome return, tallying six disposals, 20 hit-outs and one goal in his first AFL match since round five.

The Suns beat Fremantle by one point in last year's elimination final in Perth, and the Dockers came out like a team possessed early in Sunday's rematch.

The Dockers' intense pressure proved too much for the Suns, with Frederick cashing in with three quick goals, and Luke Jackson adding another from a contested mark to give Fremantle a 28-2 edge by quarter-time.

The damage would have been even greater if not for two misses from Dockers spearhead Jye Amiss and a poster from Patrick Voss.

Fremantle dominated the inside-50 battle 15-7 in the second quarter, but their reward was a meagre three behinds in what was their lowest-scoring term of the season.

King kicked the only goal of the term to bring the margin back to 20 points.

But Jackson broke the game open early in the third quarter, nailing his 50m set shot before delivering an assist to Voss for another.

And when Frederick bobbed up for his fourth goal, the margin was 40 points and it was game over.

AAP

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 8:01pm

Next four for Gold Coast

By Andrew McGarry

Rd 17: vs Collingwood (Carrara)

Rd 18: vs Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)

Rd 19: vs Western Bulldogs (Carrara)

Rd 20: vs Carlton (Docklands)

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:59pm

Next four for Freo

By Andrew McGarry

Rd 17: vs GWS (Canberra)

Rd 18: vs Sydney (Perth Stadium)

Rd 19: vs Port Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)

Rd 20: vs West Coast (Perth Stadium)

Key Event

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:48pm

'I've got so much growth': Luke Jackson speaks after Fremantle's win

By Andrew McGarry

Luke Jackson has had another huge game for the Dockers, and he has been speaking to Fox Footy after the win.

Jackson was just dominant, with 15 disposals, 17 hitouts, four clearances, five inside 50s, five marks, three tackles, seven score involvements and two goals, if you don't mind.

Just an epic performance.

"I'm really happy how I played and how we went in the game," he said.

Jackson acknowledged that the elimination final loss to the Suns had been motivation for him.

"That was in my mind all day, we lost by a point (to the Suns in the finals) - I love playing in front of Freo fans, they really helped us today. It was good to get one back for them."

Jackson said his aerial game was still something he was working on.

"Joel Corey the midfield coach helped me in how to get to the right places to win the ball," he said.

"I've got so much growth (left) which is really exciting."

It might be exciting for Jackson, but it's downright frightening for the other 17 AFL teams.

Key Event

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:36pm

FT: Fremantle 11.14 (80) beats Gold Coast 3.11 (29)

By Andrew McGarry

The siren sounds to end a dirty day for the Suns in Perth, with a 51-point loss to Fremantle.

Leo Lombard's last set shot wobbles its way towards goal but doesn't even make it to the square, and that sums it up.

Three goals in four quarters of footy is not a return to be happy with, and goodness knows what Damien Hardwick will have to say about this.

The Dockers were too strong, too fierce, too accurate and too hard on the counter all day.

The enormous pressure was too much for Gold Coast. But if you're a Dockers player, coach or fan, you have to be happy - not with the result, exactly, but with what led to it.

The intensity and the effort and the determination to simply not be beaten was highly impressive.

Sydney's loss means the Dockers (who have now won 14 in a row) have two clear games and a percentage lead over Sydney in second place.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:34pm

Dockers do it again through Amiss

By Andrew McGarry

As the great baseball manager Yogi Berra once said: "It's like déjà vu all over again."

The Suns finally kick a goal, and the Dockers go straight down and answer.

It's Jye Amiss whose sky-high snap goes through - or at least it's called through initially, and the review by the ARC finds no evidence to overturn it.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:31pm

Jed Walter kicks one for Gold Coast

By Andrew McGarry

We are deep in time on here, and Jed Walter has just kicked a goal from the goalsquare - and that is the Suns third major for the day.

Those three goals have come from 38 inside 50s. That is how poor they have been in attack - or how brilliant the Dockers have been in defence. Or both.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:27pm

Patrick Voss extends the Fremantle lead

By Andrew McGarry

And again, when the Suns miss, the Dockers seem to pop up almost immediately and show them how it's done.

The Dockers break again, and Patrick Voss is the man on the end of it this time.

His kick is true, he has two goals for the day - and the lead is out beyond 50 points.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:25pm

No joy for Suns as Petracca misses a rare shot

By Andrew McGarry

The Dockers have kept pushing in this final quarter.

The attacking sharpness isn't quite there, but their pressure remains.

The Suns have had a complete lack of opportunities, they had one there with Christian Petracca marking inside 50.

But his kick was dragged to the left, and the visitors still only have two goals for the day.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:11pm

Dockers counter leads to Brayshaw goal

By Andrew McGarry

The Suns have kept trying, but they are just running into a big purple brick wall.

They turn it over after Christian Petracca's kick into the middle goes over the target.

The Dockers eyes lit up at this, and the ball was quickly fed through hands - it ended up with Andrew Brayshaw inside 50. And Brayshaw kicked the goal. What a performance from Freo.

The Dockers have now kicked seven goals (from nine in total) from turnover.

Key Event

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 7:02pm

3QT: Fremantle 8.12 (60) leads Gold Coast 2.8 (20)

By Andrew McGarry

The siren sounds, and the Perth Stadium crowd is happy.

The Dockers kicked 4.5 to 1.3 in that quarter, and have stamped their authority on this game - if it wasn't already well and truly stamped.

The Suns are just bumping along at the moment, and they can't match Freo's ferocity in attack.

The Dockers could make this uglier in the final quarter the way things are going - and Michael Frederick could end up with a really big bag if the Suns don't watch out.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 6:59pm

Sean Darcy answers for the Dockers

By Andrew McGarry

And there is the difference!

The Suns work all quarter to get an opening and convert ... and the Dockers answer within 60 seconds!

They went downfield and hit up Sean Darcy inside 50.

The big man kicks the goal on his return to the side - and his teammates come from everywhere!

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 6:57pm

Jed Walter kicks a vital goal for Gold Coast

By Andrew McGarry

That's something from the visitors!

They needed a team-lifter ahead of three quarter time, and they found it with a kick to Jed Walter deep in the left forward pocket.

The Suns number four lined up and drilled a big kick from nearly 50 wide out. Great goal! And nearly silence from the Perth Stadium crowd.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 6:55pm

Dockers hit on the break - and Frederick has four!

By Andrew McGarry

That was very impressive from the Dockers!

The Suns were desperately trying to find an opening to kick a goal, but the pressure from Freo was just too great.

The Suns had to take chance after chance, and finally a high kick across ground was tapped clear by Nathan O'Driscoll, and the Dockers were away, a kick clear inside 50 to Michael Frederick.

And the dynamic Dockers forward kicked his fourth!

The lead is 40 points, and the Suns are nowhere here.

They just can't crack the Freo defensive line right now.

And Damien Hardwick has already had enough, heading down stairs composing a three quarter time bake for his team.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 6:49pm

Nick Holman getting treatment for his knee

By Andrew McGarry

Gold Coast Suns hard nut Nick Holman is off the ground getting some treatment for his knee.

He stumbled in a contest inside defensive 50, and may have jarred his knee hitting the ground.

He's been off for a few minutes and staff are checking his movement on the knee. Let's hope it's not serious.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 6:44pm

Ben Long wastes a chance for the Suns

By Andrew McGarry

And just as I say that, the Suns go straight inside 50 to a mark.

But Ben Long pulls his kick wide, and they are 1.7 for the match!

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 6:43pm

Damien Hardwick is looking stressed in the Suns box

By Andrew McGarry

The Suns are so much under the pump here, they are making silly errors and not being able to clear their lines.

Only some poor kicking from Freo is keeping this from a huge margin.

A reminder, Gold Coast has still only kicked one goal for the game.

Sun 28 Jun 2026 at 6:40pm

Voss goes bang and the Dockers clear out

By Andrew McGarry

This is why the Dockers are the number one side in the AFL right now!

They just crashed through the corridor thanks to Luke Jackson again, he turns provider and hits up Patrick Voss.

The Suns defence are totally on the back foot.

Voss kicks it, and the lead is threatening to blow right out.

View original source — ABC News ↗

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SportsJun 29, 2026 · 1 min

Live: Kangaroos seek top 10 spot ahead of Dockers—Suns finale

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