Dockers skipper Alex Pearce saves the day in thrilling win over Crows at Adelaide Oval

The Dockers will fly home to Perth before heading back to Adelaide to face Collingwood at Adelaide Oval next Friday night during Gather Round.

“I’m just trying to get a breath, that was hard work, gee we were under the pump there,” Pearce told Fox Footy.

“I’m so proud of the boys. We played some really good footy and were on top for the majority of it but in that last quarter they had all the momentum. We’ve spoken a lot about trying to stand up and be calm when the momentum is against us. I’m proud of the boys for still playing our way and not bombing away.

“A few times there, I thought we were done. They are a good side, and they kept on coming and made it hard for us.”

When the Dockers were described as contenders, Pearce dismissed such ratings as coming too early in the season.

“It’s a bit early for that,” Pearce told Fox Footy.

Freo (2-1) remained third with their gutsy 11.12 (78) to 11.10 (76) triumph.

After being 34 points up in the third term, the Dockers were given an almighty scare, with Adelaide stealing a seven-point lead midway through the final quarter.

Freo midfielders Caleb Serong (32 disposals, six clearances), Murphy Reid (26 touches) and Andrew Brayshaw (25, one goal) were standouts for the visitors.

Amiss feasted in attack kicking four goals alongside Patrick Voss (two goals) and Treacy (two goals), while Judd McVee (22 touches) and Neil Erasmus (21) were busy.

Adelaide defenders Wayne Milera (27 possessions) and Josh Worrell (23) were superb and on-baller James Peatling gathered 25 touches, seven clearances and a goal.

But captain Jordan Dawson was the only multiple goalscorer for the Crows, who slipped to a third loss from four games.

Two Crows – forward Darcy Fogarty (back) and winger Isaac Cumming (illness) – were late withdrawals, replaced by Finnbar Maley and Chayce Jones.

Maley kicked the first goal of the game with a check-side effort from the boundary, but the Dockers soon gained the ascendancy.

Freo, with 12 clearances to four and almost 40 more disposals than the Crows, controlled the first quarter but couldn’t quite cash in on the scoreboard, kicking 4.3 to 3.3.

The Dockers stretched their lead to 26 points with three goals, including Amiss’s third, in a five-minute burst.

Fremantle held a 25-point advantage at halftime when Adelaide had 14 players with five or fewer disposals.

The Dockers jumped 34 points clear – a match-high margin – when Amiss slotted his fourth major 10 minutes into the third quarter.

But the Crows rallied in dramatic fashion with five consecutive majors to no score. When Peatling goaled on the run, they were only four points down.

Freo held that slight buffer at three quarter-time, 9.9 to 9.5, before Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker put the hosts in front with a set shot.

Dawson soon followed with an accurate snap and the Crows were seven points ahead.

But they couldn’t close the deal.

Freo’s Bolton restored the visitors’ lead, before Treacy threaded a dribbling goal from a tight angle.

With AAP

The heat will continue on Voss, who was backed last August to see out at least the final year of his contract in 2026 and has now presided over a 1-3 start to the campaign.

But the 50-year-old wasn’t interested in post-match questions about his coaching future.

“I’m sure people will have that conversation, and they can go for it,” Voss said.

It was the ninth time since the start of last season that Carlton have lost after leading at half-time and came just five days after they wasted a 43-point advantage in a huge flameout against Melbourne.

“It’s a really hard one to take because six or seven minutes out from the finish you’re still feeling like you’re in a really good position in the game,” Voss said.

The beleaguered coach did not sense his players struggling mentally against North’s final-quarter surge and denied they went into their shell trying to defend a lead.

“I guess if we were starved of opportunity I’d be sitting here in some level of agreeance with you, but I didn’t feel like that’s the way it played out,” Voss said.

“If anything, some moments of composure would’ve helped us to be able to take the sting out of the game, or just be able to find where those moments are when the crowd’s going crazy and you have to finish the game.

“There’s lots of gains to be made, but the scoreboard says we lost, so there’s a clear level of improvement we need to make.”

AAP

“I think Carlton’s pressure [rating] was over two, which is a magnificent rating, and ours was even higher than that so it was frantic in the last quarter, but we gave ourselves a chance because we hung in there and got the job done in the end.”

The Roos now need to build on the win.

“It was a pretty tenacious effort to get ourselves back in the game and then come away with the four points,” Clarkson said.

“The pleasing side, apart from the victory, is that we didn’t play our best footy today.

“It’s encouraging we are able to win the game without being at our very best and some of that credit needs to go to Carlton rather than us.

“But we need to be a lot sharper next week as we’ve got the reigning premiers. We know full well we will have to play a little better than today to get the chocolates over Brisbane.”

“All the conversation should be about that and the difference we can make in people’s lives.

“I’m sure people can have that conversation [about Voss’ coaching future] – they can go for it.

“But we acknowledge today, what it is, and we’ll celebrate our people and we’ll still continue to make sure that we bring joy around that because there’s lots to celebrate in that regard.

“But we walk away without the win, and we’ve going to have to go to work on our game.”

He was later cleared of any head, spinal or internal injuries but had soreness around his chest.

The Blues will lose Weitering for Gather Round next weekend due to the concussion protocols, but Voss dismissed any additional concerns for the player.

“They were completely different instances,” Voss said.

He also refused to put the blame for the loss on losing Weitering, although he did believe it caused some difficulties for his defence which needed to change things up after he went off.