Fremantle have created their own piece of history by winning the club’s first game at their new home ground, after a 15-point victory over Essendon at Cockburn ARC Oval.

The Dockers produced a tackling onslaught during the final term to pull clear of the Bombers and win 5.7 (37) to 3.4 (22)

Fremantle had lost both of their home games this season and were under pressure to turn their new home into a fortress. They suffered a 21-point defeat against Port Adelaide in round one and then lost to Carlton by six points in round three.

But they’d also won both of the away matches against Collingwood and Richmond. In contrast, the Bombers hadn’t won a game this season.

Fremantle suffered a blow in the lead up when star ruck Mim Strom withdrew after failing to recover from a shoulder injury. She was replaced by Tunisha Kikoak. The Dockers then lost star Emma O’Driscoll to an ankle injury in the opening minutes

Essendon pushed numbers into their backline to deny Fremantle early space but that left the Dons struggling to find targets ahead of the play.

Both clubs wasted chances when close to goal through after making skill errors and that meant Fremantle’s two behinds were the only scores of the first term.

The Bombers struggled getting past Fremantle defender Holly Egan despite Maddy Prespakis having a stack of the ball.

Fremantle kicked the first goal of the day when Noa McNaughton snapped a major early in the second quarter. Then came the irony of a 50m penalty handing 50-gamer Meg Kauffman the chance to kick another and she nailed her opportunity.

It took the Bombers until there was only 11 seconds remaining in the first half to finally kick a goal. Bonnie Toogood took a strong mark and nailed the set shot from a difficult angle to give her team some life.

Gabby O’Sullivan had an immediate impact in the third quarter after barely touching the footy in the first half and her intensity changed the way Fremantle played. She set up Fremantle’s first goal of the term to Hayley Miller and then kicked their only other major after the three-quarter time siren after receiving a free kick for a high tackle.

But Essendon showed plenty of fight and kicked two running goals of their own.

Fremantle held an eight-point lead with one quarter remaining. Gabby Newton and Kiara Bowers were leading from the front and the game was up for grabs so Fremantle hit Essendon with a physical barrage. They laid 24 tackles for the quarter and withstood an early series of attacks from the Bombers.

Bella Smith produced two huge contests to inspire her team. She smashed Bess Keaney with a bump and instantly followed up with a tackle that won a free kick for holding the ball against Zoe Prowse. But Smith faces a nervous wait because the head clash from the bump left Keaney bleeding.

Then Eden Zanker sealed the game to give the Dockers their first win on new home turf.

SCOREBOARD

FREMANTLE 0.2 2.3 4.5 5.7 37 ESSENDON 0.0 1.2 3.3 3.4 22

GOALS: FREMANTLE: N McNaughton, M Kauffman, H Miller, G O’Sullivan, E Zanker. ESSENDON: B Toogood, M Johnstone, N Brothwell.

BEST: FREMANTLE: K Bowers, G Newton, M Kauffman, H Egan, S Verrier, M Banfield. ESSENDON: M Prespakis, S Cain, B Toogood, S Wales, A Gaylor.

INJURIES: FREMANTLE – M Strom (shoulder) replaced in selected side by T Kikoak E O’Driscoll (ankle). ESSENDON: D Bannister (quad).

UMPIRES: G Simmonds, Z Mertens, J Antulov.