Walters' brain fade could prove costly
Fremantle star Michael Walters has been a hero for his side a number of times in his career, but he almost turned villain in the closing stages on Sunday. With the Dockers clinging to a nine-point lead and the ball out of bounds in their forward line, Walters inexplicably gave a free kick away for punching Crow Jake Kelly in the stomach. If that wasn't bad enough, in the following scuffle he was reported for a headbutt on Tom Doedee, which resulted in a 50m penalty. Ross Lyon immediately dragged the star playmaker and he spent the final minutes on the bench. While his actions didn't cost Fremantle the game, it could cost him a week on the sidelines with the punch and headbutt to come under scrutiny from Match Review Officer Michael Christian.

Fremantle may need a war chest to keep Langdon
Ed Langdon's rapid improvement has been a highlight for Fremantle fans this season. But with good form comes attention and there are reports Victorian clubs are trying to lure him home when he comes out of contract at the end of next year. On Sunday Langdon was outstanding and laid a serious claim for best-on-ground honours with 25 disposals and five marks. The 22-year-old used his supreme running capacity to good effect and broke the lines better than anyone on the ground to register 582 metres gained. Fremantle has a few young players it needs to resign in the coming years and Langdon should be at the top of the list.

Adelaide's injury crisis worsens
Take two key forwards (Mitch McGovern and Tom Lynch), three important midfielders (Rory Sloane, Brad Crouch and Riley Knight) and a couple of All Australian defenders (Rory Laird and Brodie Smith) out of any team and you'll have concerns. Adelaide could scarcely afford to lose its most reliable soldier, but will now have to plan for the loss of reliable backman Luke Brown, who went down with an ankle injury in the last quarter. Competing for a ball at centre-half back, Brown landed awkwardly on opponent Michael Walters' foot and crumpled to the floor. He was assisted from the ground by medical staff, had his left foot assessed and finished the afternoon on crutches.

Where to now for Adelaide?
Things haven't gone to plan for Don Pyke and company this season and Sunday's slip-up against the Dockers was nothing short of disastrous. Adelaide looked to have things under control after a barnstorming six-goal second quarter but conceded five of the last six majors to fall short of the win it desperately needed to stay ahead of the eight-ball for a finals berth. It's not panic stations yet – the Crows are just one win and two percentage points shy of eight spot with a raft of stars due to return after the bye. But they will need to do some soul-searching to get their mojo back. At this stage, the prospect of Grand Final redemption seems a long way off with Hawthorn, West Coast, Richmond and Geelong to come in the next four weeks.

Freo young guns fire
We've been teased by glimpses, but Sunday was the first time Fremantle's young brigade has fired on all cylinders. Prized early selections Adam Cerra (30 disposals, six marks and four tackles) and Andrew Brayshaw (20 disposals) have shown their wares all season and were key contributors to the win. Teenage key forward Brennan Cox (four goals, seven marks, two contested marks) played the most complete game of his young career, Stefan Giro (18 disposals) was clean in the clinches and injury-prone big man Michael Apeness clunked big grabs and looked liberated by his role in the ruck. There were countless others who could hold their head high, while a number of evolving senior players stood up to be counted.