AFLW: Fremantle Dockers forward Aine Tighe sustains another knee injury in incredible win over Melbourne

It was agony and ecstasy for Fremantle as recruit Aisling McCarthy kicked a goal after the siren to give them a thrilling six-point win over Melbourne.

But the 7.5 (47) to 6.5 (41) victory may have come at the highest of prices for the Dockers, with star forward Aine Tighe sustaining what could be a season-ending knee injury early in the game at Fremantle Oval on Saturday.

Tighe collapsed to the ground at right half forward in the opening minutes and was straight away taken from the ground.

The only good news was it was an injury to her right knee and not her left one which she’s previously ruptured her ACL in twice.

Heading into the game with five goals in three games, Tighe and the Dockers will now await scans to determine the severity of the injury.

Fremantle coach Lisa Webb said she was unsure of the extent of the injury, but praised Tighe for her team-first attitude.

“She honestly is incredible. She was up on the bench really early after she got ruled out of the game,” Webb said.

“She’s so good at staying on task. She’s a great leader and she’s very focused on what she wants for this team.

“I haven’t actually talked to her about her injury she was more just pumped about the win.”

It didn’t hurt the Dockers in a fantastic four-goal final term as they ran down the Demons, with McCarthy’s thrilling goal giving them the lead for the only but most important time of the game.

Webb said she had full confidence in McCarthy to kick the match-winner, even though she was still unsure if it was a goal or a point.

“She’s a cool, calm, collected character,” Webb said.

“She’s important for us. I just needed her to score. I think it went through for a goal, I didn’t even check that I was too busy getting excited with the coaches.”

Melbourne started brilliantly with five of the first six goals of the game to threaten to smash Fremantle.

Kicking with a strong breeze, veteran Kate Hore gave the Demons the perfect start as Tighe limped from the ground.

Without their star forward Fremantle were going to need to get creative to hit the scoreboard and stand-in skipper Hayley Miller provided a great moment when she snapped out of the contest for their first.

It was their only goal in a poor first term for the Dockers, who were dominated by the Demons.

Turnovers were hurting Fremantle, as Melbourne went forward with efficiency to lead by 17 points at the first break.

Backed by the breeze in the second term, Fremantle began to get some territory dominance but without Tighe they had no key target in attack and couldn’t capitalise.

The Dockers’ only goal for the term came after the half-time siren with Gabby O’Sullivan (three goals) booting majors either side of the main break to keep them within a few kicks.

Battling into the wing, the Dockers’ defence was doing their best to hold the Demons at bay but their good work was undone when Sinead Goldrick (21 disposals and nine tackles) was awarded a 50m penalty to extend the visitors’ lead.

Down by 18 goals at the last break, the big question would be how they could kick a score without Tighe.

Up stepped Gabby Biedenweg-Webster and O’Sullivan, who booted running goals to get them back within a kick for the first time since the first term.

Ebony Antonio then levelled the scores when she booted Fremantle’s sixth goal with only three minutes left in the game.

It made for a frantic finish, with McCarthy awarded a free kick for holding the ball with only second remaining in the game.

Kicking from 30m out in the left forward pocket, McCarthy would finish in style, splitting the middle to give the Dockers their third win in four games.

SCOREBOARD

FREMANTLE 1.1, 2.5, 3.5, 7.5 (47)

MELBOURNE 4.0, 5.1, 6.5, 6.5 (41)

Goals – FREMANTLE: G O’Sullivan 3 E Antonio G Biedenweg-Webster A McCarthy H Miller. MELBOURNE: A Bannan G Gall T Hanks K Hore S Goldrick E Zanker.

Best – FREMANTLE: M Strom G O’Sullivan H Miller E O’Driscoll G Newton A McCarthy. MELBOURNE: E McNamara S Goldrick L Mithen K Hore M Chaplin M Fitzsimons.

Injuries – FREMANTLE: A Tighe (knee). MELBOURNE: B Mackin (calf).

Umpires: G Simmonds J Ball C Gibson. Crowd: 1633 at Fremantle Oval.