Shai Bolton hits the heights at Perth Stadium with a Mark of the Year leading contender, as Fremantle overcomes the kicking yips to close in on Geelong.
In the second quarter Bolton leapt high for a contest on the wing, leveraging off teammate Patrick Voss and a Geelong defender to take a one-handed screamer that sent the home crowd crazy.
The Dockers have won a club-record 12 straight games, while the Cats will be without star midfielder Bailey Smith, who has been ruled out with illness.
Follow all the action in out live blog.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 7:50pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 7:50pm
AFL Thursday ScoreboardThu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:18pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:18pmThu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:18pm
HT: Geelong 9.2 (56) leads Fremantle
It turns out there was time for one more attack, and Josh Treacy found a handball in space, the ball was kicked inside 50 and Luke Jackson took an easy mark.
And then the unicorn showed HE could convert a set shot!
The siren sounds and suddenly the Dockers are only nine points down at the half.
Geelong were in total control there for a while, and they led by as much as 28 points, but as the teams go in the home side are now right back in it.
All that action, and a Mark of the Year cracker from Shai Bolton. What more do you want?
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:15pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:15pm
Josh Treacy kicks a set shot goal for Fremantle!!
The old London buses line comes in here. Wait for a LONG time, get one and another turns up.
This time it’s Josh Treacy taking a mark on 50.
He’s kicking from beyond the arc, everyone can hardly watch.
But he kicks it from 50-plus! Two in a row for the Dockers, and the lead is back to 15 points, deep in time on.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:13pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:13pm
Patrick Voss finally gets one for the Dockers
Freo as we have said are their own worst enemy tonight.
Even Murphy Reid missed a shot a few minutes back, and that makes SEVEN behinds for the quarter.
But finally, Jye Amiss managed to bundle the ball home from the goal-line. That sound you hear is Dockers fans (and players and coaches) breathing a sigh of relief.
It went to the ARC, as Sam De Koning said he touched it, but it was confirmed. MUCH needed goal for Freo.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:10pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:10pm
The moment Shai Bolton went vertical
Here it is! Shai Bolton would have to have a big say in the Mark of the Year, surely?
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:05pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:05pm
George Stevens goal makes seven in a row for the Cats
This is going properly pear-shaped for Fremantle.
George Stevens has kicked a goal for Geelong, and the visitors have seven in a row.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:04pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:04pm
Watch out, it’s Air Bolton! Huge mark for the Freo star
Shai Bolton’s speccy sent the Perth Stadium crowd crazy (Getty Images)
Now forget about the goals, because we may have just seen the mark of the year!
The ball was cleared out of defensive 50 by Geelong, it went to the wing, and Shannon Neale and Patrick Voss were standing there. But that didn’t account for Shai Bolton!
The Dockers star FLEW, stood on Voss’s shoulder and Neale’s head, and took a one-handed screamer, do you mind!
Perth Stadium went ballistic, but play didn’t stop for a couple of minutes to allow everyone to see the replay – by then Cameron had kicked the goal. We’ll get the replay for you as soon as we can – it’s worth it.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:01pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 9:01pm
Cameron kicks another for Geelong as Cats break
The Cats have just been ruthless, and they’ve done it again, breaking forward and drawing the defence for the handball over the top – Jeremy Cameron kicks it from the square and it’s six in a row for Geelong!
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:57pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:57pm
50m penalty helps Geelong extend again
This is getting to alarm bells levels for Freo.
Shannon Neale took a mark on the wing, and Alex Pearce was penalised for the stand rule.
A 50m penalty, and Neale kicked an easy goal.
The Cats are clear!
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:54pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:54pm
Jye Amiss misses another, as Freo struggling with set shots
Now Jye Amiss has missed a set shot, pushing it across goal from 40. That’s 1.5 from set shots so far for Freo, and that is not helping at ALL.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:52pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:52pm
Fremantle keeps missing, Geelong kicks one from Jeremy Cameron
The second term has started like the first one ended – with Freo errors.
The home side has missed three consecutive shots for goal – on the run and from set shots.
And now the Cats have made them pay, with a free kick leading to a mark for Jeremy Cameron inside forward 50.
The big number five drills it from just the right side of 50. Frustration mounts for the Dockers.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:46pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:46pm
QT stats
Inside 50s: 15-12 Fremantle
Clearances: 9-7 Geelong
Centre clearances: 6-2 Geelong
Contested possessions: 32-30 Fremantle
Uncontested possessions: 61-55 Fremantle
Marks inside 50: 5-4 Geelong
Tackles: 14-8 Fremantle
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:44pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:44pm
QT: Geelong 5.2 (32) leads Fremantle 3.4 (22)
The quarter ended with a microcosm of what’s happened, with Murphy Reid hitting up Josh Treacy with a lovely kick inside 50.
Treacy kicked after the siren, and he pulled the kick so badly that it neither scored nor went out on the full. Wow.
The Cats lead by 10 points in the west after one quarter.
The talk before the game was all about who won the clearances would be vital – but it’s not the clearances that are telling, it’s the turnovers.
Between those turnovers and the poor goalkicking, the Dockers are their own worst enemies right now. Can they fight back? We’ll find out.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:39pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:39pm
Now it’s Geelong’s turn to miss
Well it’s not just Fremantle.
Geelong have had their chance there, and Ollie Henry took a mark in the left forward pocket. He ran round and snapped it, but it started right and didn’t come back enough.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:37pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:37pm
Now Treacy misses for Fremantle
This would be concerning for Freo coach Justin Longmuir.
The ball went to Josh Treacy inside 50. It was a gettable kick, but he couldn’t get it. That’s four misses in a row for the home side.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:36pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:36pm
Dockers miss another chance through Amiss
The Dockers are creating plenty of chances here – taking them is the problem.
A kick to the wing was intercepted by Patrick Voss, who kicked it long to a contest, and the Cats were pinged for holding the jumper.
Jye Amiss had the kick, but he sprayed it nearly out on the full. It just went through for a point. Cats by nine in time on.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:33pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:33pm
Jack Martin has three! Cats extend their lead
The turnovers are killing the Dockers.
A poor kick down the wing was chopped off, and sent back by the Cats. The ball was funnelled through hands and then kicked long to a contest, for Jack Martin to take a contested grab inside 50.
Martin’s kicking boots are on (this one wasn’t too hard) and he now has three goals in the first quarter and Geelong leads by 10.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:30pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:30pm
Cats hit back with two in a minute to Ollie Wiltshire
Geelong have hit straight back! Two goals in a minute from Ollie Wiltshire.
The Cats are forcing turnovers, the first one came from Ollie Dempsey who then found Wiltshire for a set shot.
The second came from Patrick Dangerfield smothering a tap/clearance from Luke Jackson.
The ball went to a contest, it spilled and Wiltshire somehow soccered it through without it being touched.
The Cats lead again!
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:27pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:27pm
The ARC turns one over – and Patrick Voss takes advantage
That was interesting. The Cats thought they had a kick out of defensive 50, but the ARC chimed in and turned it into a free for Freo.
The ball was with Patrick Voss, and he ran around and thumped it from 50m. Never looked like missing! Great goal.
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:24pm
Thu 18 Jun 2026 at 8:24pm
Dockers can’t take advantage of Reid brilliance
That should have been another one for Freo!
They won the ball out of a stoppage, the handball found Reid again, and he spotted up Jye Amiss inside 50.
The goals was there for the taking, but his set shot slid to the right. We’re not halfway through the first term yet, and the Dockers lead 2.2 to 2.0.
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