AFTER heading into the main break with just one goal from eight scoring shots and trailing GWS Giants by eight points, Fremantle coach Lisa Webb said there were “quite serious” discussions at half-time which helped spur the Dockers onto a seven-point win in Round 10 of the AFL Women’s.

The Dockers’ finals hopes hang in the balance, and a loss would have all but ruled them out of post-season action. After levelling the scores during the third term, a late major to Tarni Evans saw the Giants go back out to a six-point buffer at the final break. However a three goals to one final term resulted in Fremantle coming home with a wet sail to get up, 6.11 (47) to 6.4 (40).

“Obviously first half wasn’t the way we wanted it to look,” Webb said post-match. “Had a chat with the girls at half-time and we corrected a few things, and certainly signs in the right direction but we need to just keep improving.”

When asked about what the message was at half-time, Webb indicated that there was some firm guidance around switching up the way they played in order to come out on top with the season on the line.

“You might have to ask them (the players), it was quite serious,” Webb said. “I just thought there were so many moments which we weren’t playing great football, we weren’t composed with ball in hand and we were really rushed so we tightened up in a few areas.

“They’re a really good team, I think some of their bounce (Kaitlyn) Srhoj and (Eilish) O’Dowd they’re terrific runners as well so they really challenged us at different ends, and then you’ve obviously got Evans, (Georgia) Garnett, there’s a lot of really good players so we had to tighten up, especially in our transition phase. “I thought when we did, the girls responded well.”

While finals are a possibility, Webb said the focus was just to “keep improving” regardless of the result.

“I think leaving 11 behinds out there obviously means we’re creating opportunities but not quite making the best decisions at times or scoring,” Webb said. “We’ve got to get better at that, but every game will be an area of growth for us. There’s some really pleasing aspects, and then some areas where we need to keep getting better.”

Leading from the front, Kiara Bowers (22 disposals, 10 clearances and nine tackles) was one of a number of Dockers who thrived around the coalface with Gabrielle Newton (28 disposals, six clearances and nine tackles) and Mim Strom (23 disposals, 28 hitouts, six clearances and eight tackles).

GWS coach Cam Bernasconi said he was pleased with the competitive effort but lamented another match where the Giants were smacked around the contest (125-93 contested possessions and 34-20 clearances.

“Our ability to win contested ball is the one that is our handbrake, and it’s been our handbrake for a while. It’s something that I want to address by the end of the year, and I feel like a lot of contested ball is your method and fundamental, but a lot of its the hunt as well,” Bernasconi said.

“I just thought we got out-hunted – especially in that last quarter – by Freo. “So yeah positives in our game, we’re challenging these teams and we’re really competitive and could be winning them, but I reckon we could transfer one of those ‘could have wons’ to at least one or two in the last month.”