You can be a bull at the stoppages and a king in the air, but sometimes you just have to kick the goal.

Sunday’s western derby at Optus Stadium was magnificent. The Dockers started well, the Eagles were better on the counter-punch, then the men in purple lifted down the stretch to almost pinch it.

And the result could have been different if not for a moment Nat Fyfe will no doubt be replaying in his head all night, and potentially all week.

With just over five minutes left in the match and the Dockers trailing by 20 points, in a game where the umpiring was a bit all over the place, Fyfe was granted a rare free kick in front of goal, let’s call it about 20m out.

Now, there are a few riders here.

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First, the Freo skipper had been moved forward after landing heavily in a marking contest on a half-back flank minutes earlier, and looked sore.

Second, his pack-crashing ways were a catalyst for the Dockers’ late push, and created a Hayden Ballantyne goal which brought the side huge momentum.

Camera Icon Nat Fyfe had a decent afternoon despite being beaten at times by Elliot Yeo. Credit: AFL Media

Third, he’d had a decent game despite being beaten at times by Elliot Yeo.

But when you win a free kick that close to goal, and you’re a player at the level of Fyfe, you have to kick it.

Fyfe missed from point-blank range, and his team fell agonisingly short.

And for all his hard work through four quarters, that is the moment in this game that will stick in people’s memories.