Fremantle Dockers forward Aine Tighe has worrying knee pain after return from reconstruction against Melbourne

Fremantle star Aine Tighe is facing a horribly anxious wait after being forced from the field with knee soreness during her first game back from a third reconstruction against Melbourne on Sunday.

The key forward inspired her team with a goal in the third quarter that allowed Fremantle to beat Melbourne 6.4 (40) to 5.5 (35) but sat on the bench for the entire final term after reporting pain in her knee.

Coach Lisa Webb said everyone was hoping Tighe hadn’t suffered any type of injury given the challenges she’s had throughout her career.

“Hopefully she’s fine. She worked incredibly hard to get back to where she is. She’s an important player for us. No matter what happens, we will wrap our arms around her,” Webb said.

“The only thing I’ve got from this is it’s knee soreness. She’s a terrific person. She doesn’t give much away so we’ll see how that goes.

“She’s just one of those people who is really mature and balanced with her approach to football. She’s s terrific person. Even in the changeroom, she is just pleased for the group at the moment.”

The Dockers jumped Melbourne in the first quarter, kicking four goals to one and seizing upon the Demons getting stuck in traffic on the way to the Fremantle Oval.

With the freeway closed due to the Perth Running Festival, Melbourne’s bus from the CBD was in a logjam and the team didn’t arrive at the ground until 60 minutes before the match. Coach Mick Stinear refused to blame the problem on their poor start, but admitted they had planned on arriving two hours before the match.

Fremantle are in 11th spot on the ladder and their finals hopes would have ended if they had lost to the Demons. But now they are only one win and percentage outside of the top eight with three matches remaining. Their final three games will be against GWS (15th), Richmond (17th) and Adelaide (5th).

The Dockers had struggled against top teams this season but their leaders were superb against the second placed Demons. Webb said Sunday’s victory was important but wouldn’t help them in future matches this year.

“Every team is a challenge,” she said.

“I thought Richmond did terrific, GWS are terrific and Adelaide are going well clearly. There is no game we don’t go into knowing it’s going to be a massive fight.

“That’s the beauty about AFLW at the moment. Any team can win any game and we have to be at our best. I thought over the last two weeks we did a lot of good stuff, especially late in fourth quarters but couldn’t capitalise, and teams will hurt you. I’m pleased we got the result this week.”