Fremantle Dockers coach Lisa Webb thrilled her team learnt from past mistakes in AFLW win over GWS Giants

Fremantle coach Lisa Webb believes the Dockers’ come-from-behind win over GWS on Saturday is evidence that her players have learnt valuable lessons from earlier in the season.

The Dockers kept their season alive by beating GWS by seven points, despite being six points down at the final change.

The win followed last week’s five-point victory over Melbourne, where they again showed composure when the game was on the line.

Those efforts were in contrast to a loss to Carlton during September. Scores were tied at three-quarter time against Carlton last month, and the Blues kicked clear in the final term to win that game by nine points.

Webb said the Dockers needed to change the way they were playing at half-time and found a way to do what was needed to win.

“For us to be able to shift momentum in that game, tweak a few things and for the girls to be learning on the run is something we’re getting better at,” Webb said.

“The result went our way. A couple of weeks ago, it didn’t. We’ve shown we can learn and improve in those moments.

“The first half wasn’t the way we wanted it to look. I had a chat with the girls at half-time and we corrected a few things. It was quite serious. There were so many moments where we weren’t playing great football. We weren’t composed with the ball in hand, and we were really rushed. We tightened up in a few areas.”

Fremantle dominated key parts of the match, winning the inside 50 battle 42-24. That was set up by winning the clearances 34-20.

Webb said they simply wasted too many chances once they got the ball close to goal.

“Leaving 11 behinds out there means we are creating opportunities but are not making the best decisions at times or scoring. We’ve got to get better at that,” she said.

GWS were at their best when running the ball out of Fremantle’s forward line coach Cam Bernasconi lamented the thrashing they copped in contests.

Fremantle won the contested possessions 125-93, and Bernasconi said that cost them any chance of beating the Dockers.

“Our inability to win contested ball is our hand brake for a while. It’s something I want to address by the end of the year,” he said.

“I feel like a lot of contested ball is the method and fundamental, but a lot of it is the hunt as well. I just thought we got out-hunted, especially in the last quarter.

“We’ve just got to match it in there. If we can match it and be within five or 10, you give yourself a chance because on the outside I thought we were terrific.”