<
>

Walters boots six as Dockers beat Port

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has praised the leadership of Michael Walters after the star veteran produced another match-winning display in the club's 21-point triumph over Port Adelaide.

Walters entered Saturday's AFL clash at Optus Stadium having booted the winning score in each of the Dockers' past two games.

And the 28-year-old produced the goods yet again, booting six goals from 25 disposals in the 15.10 (100) to 12.7 (79) win in front of 37,451 fans.

"He's a class act. He's a great story, a great role model," Lyon said.

"He's a story of hard work and turnaround and consistency.

"You can't do what he does if you're not footy smart. He's a real leader. He's very passionate."

Fremantle trailed by a point heading into the final term.

Walters nailed a tough 40m set shot midway through the last quarter to get the ball rolling, and he iced the game with a goal in the dying minutes.

The Power were held scoreless in the final quarter, with Fremantle winning the inside 50m count 20-5 and the clearances 15-3 for the term.

Fremantle's third win on the trot moved them into sixth spot with a 7-5 record, while Port Adelaide (6-6) slipped to ninth.

Nat Fyfe (37 disposals, 10 clearances) and Brad Hill (30 possessions) also starred in the win, while Sean Darcy (30 hitouts) was instrumental in the ruck during the final quarter.

Jesse Hogan tallied three goals from 17 disposals in one of his best displays for the club.

Port Adelaide vice-captain Hamish Hartlett made a strong return from a knee reconstruction, tallying 12 disposals in the opening term on the way to 23 for the match.

Power midfielder Travis Boak (36 disposals, eight clearances) was pivotal, while Kane Farrell kicked a career-best four goals.

Port Adelaide lost the free kick count 32-15 but coach Ken Hinkley didn't want to blame that for the loss.

"It's an unusual margin in a really close game in every other stat," he said.

"But it's a tough game to umpire, and the umpires do their best.

"Sometimes it feels like a pretty unfair rub of the green, but that's what it was.

"I can't change it. If I sit here and say anything else about it, I'm wasting my breath, because they try to do a good job every week."

Hinkley said his side simply couldn't match Fremantle's run in the final quarter, and he praised the heroics of Walters.

"Some unbelievable goals," he said.

"We've seen him win them games in the last couple of weeks. This way he won it differently ... but he won them the game again."