Fremantle won 14.16 (100) to 9.9 (63) to win their seventh match for the season after the final term became a slog in heavy rain.
The Swans’ woes were compounded by suspected knee injuries to Tadhg Kennelly and Daniel Bradshaw, who limped off in the first and third quarters respectively.
Third-gamer Gary Rohan was among the Swans’ best in a lively display at half-forward, Dan Hannebery was busy in the clinches and Nick Malceski mopped up effectively in defence.
After edging the Swans by four points in a scrappy first term, Fremantle went up a gear in the second as the old guard of Pavlich and Hasleby took control.
Relief ruckmen Henry Playfair and Bradley engaged in an absorbing battle but the Freo man was influential in the second term, tapping to Pavlich for a snapped goal and kicking one of his own just before half time.
Freo enjoyed a 32-point lead at the main break and it could easily have been greater had they not squandered more than half of their 21 scoring shots to that point.
The Swans emerged with renewed intensity after half time and an early goal to Kieren Jack was a just reward.
But Fremantle held its nerve and, aided by the Swans’ butchering of the ball going into attack, managed to break even for the rest of the term to hold a 27-point lead at the final change.
Rohan’s first goal of the day gave the Swans faithful some renewed hope in the final term but it was quickly tempered by Bradley’s second goal from a hotly disputed free kick at the other end.
A heavy downpour made the home side’s task of five unanswered goals even more unlikely and so it proved, leaving Fremantle to celebrate its second road win in three weeks.
Sydney Swans 3.2 5.4 8.5 9.9 (63)
Fremantle 3.5 9.12 11.14 14.16 (100)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Playfair 2, Bradshaw, Hannebery, Kirk, Smith, Jack, Malceski, Rohan
Fremantle: Pavlich 3, Hasleby 2, McPhee 2, Bradley 2, Crowley 2 Sandilands, Mayne, Morabito
BEST
Sydney Swans: Malceski, Jack, Kirk, Rohan, Mattner, Playfair
Fremantle: Hasleby, Pavlich, Bradley, Fyfe, Tarrant, Sandilands
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Kennelly (knee), Bradshaw (knee)
Fremantle: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: Donlon, Avon, Jeffery
OFFICIAL CROWD: 24,819
Full match report to follow
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
