Chaplin, 23, required four stitches above his eyelid after copping an errant elbow while trying to lay one of his six tackles for the game.
Coach Mark Williams, who admitted Chaplin was close to being dropped after the loss to Collingwood, said he’d implored the young centre half-back for a more committed effort against Freo.
“From Monday’s meeting with me— one-on-one— Troy was very much assured that he better play a hell of a lot better than he did and with a whole lot more desire and I thought he delivered that in spades tonight,” Williams said.
“He got a cut on the eye and, as I said to him after the game, every time he looks at that eye he’s going to remember one of the great games he played on a really courageous night.
Chaplin was entrusted with the role of minding star Matthew Pavlich and looked like he was in for a tough night when the Freo captain got away to kick the opening goal of the game.
Chaplin, however, won the contest keeping Pavlich to two goals and forcing him up the ground to find the majority of his 21 possessions.
Chaplin, who finished with 14 touched and a rare goal, said he’d worked hard to stay close to Pavlich at the stoppages.
“I’ve played on Pav when he’s played up forward before, but I started on a wing and just followed him everywhere. It was something new to me, playing at the stoppages, but I really enjoyed it,” Chaplin said.
“When you play on these sorts of guys it’s a great learning experience, especially when you’re playing in a position you don’t normally play.
“You have to concentrate so much more and you rely on the guys around you talking to one another because [Fremantle] always look to block for Pavlich.”
Chaplin lamented the Power’s sluggish start, but said he was pleased with the way his team’s ability to kick away in the match defining third quarter.
“I went off to have my eye cleaned up just before half time and when I came back out we were three goals up and I wondered what was going on,” he said.
“It was great because over the last couple of weeks one quarter has let us down and it was the third quarter last week. Although I didn’t see much of it, we really got the jump on them and fought it out hard to the final siren.”
