Fremantle vs Sydney -Subiaco - Saturday
Fremantle 5th - 12-7-111.44%
Sydney 7th -10-9 - 103.85%
Subiaco Oval will play host to an intriguing clash this Saturday with the stumbling Dockers taking on a Sydney side that bounced back to form last week after a horrendous fortnight.
Fremantle fell to arguably their worst loss of the season last week when the Kangaroos tore them apart at Etihad Stadium.
Aaron Sandilands absence was obviously signficant given it exposed Kepler Bradley to the lions share of the ruckwork against McIntosh and Goldstein, but their lack of defensive running and presence around the stoppages was the most concerning factor of all.
Fremantle's attacking flair has been a feature of their season, but the rise up the ladder can be attributed to an improvement in pressure skills and contested ball.
Both of those areas have fallen away badly for Fremantle which is the tell tale sign of a tired football team.
North Melbourne kicked a number of very easy goals where they had punched through Fremantle in the middle of the ground and had three to four players running into space inside fifty without opposition midfielders pushing back fast enough to stop them.
A lot of players are out of the side injured, and that is an undeniable factor in the slide but Fremantle have hit the wall this season.
They have the capacity to improve and challenge for the flag in coming seasons but they can't let this year turn into a dissapointment.
They will play finals for the third time in their history, but they owe it to themselves to win one.
If they can finish 5th or 6th they will in all likelihood draw Carlton or Sydney at home in the first week, possibly the Hawks, Dees or Kangaroos and it is important that they win that final, move into a second week and get a crack at a semi final at the MCG.
They would lose that semi, but a two final season would do justice to their efforts and set a nice launching pad going forward.
Stephen Hill needs to bounce back after a stinker last week where he was totally eclipsed by Brady Rawlings.
Matthew Pavlich played his worst game for the year, and Rhys Palmer needs to deliver a bit more around the stoppages.
They are a talented side who had a huge win at their last start at Subiaco, and they should enjoy the wider spaces at home against a Sydney side that did get opened up in their two most recent starts on big grounds.
But they still need to lift their workrate if they are to get the job done.
For the Swans last week was a pleasing return to what they do best. They took control of the tempo early, established control at the stoppages and strangled the life out of their opponents.
They benefited from being back on the smaller ground at the SCG but it was an important win given they had experienced the worst fortnight in Paul Roos's reign as coach.
The fact the two losses were at the MCG and ANZ Stadium, two of the competitions larger grounds might hold concerns for Subiaco, given they were sliced up in wide open spaces by two sides that spread well from contests.
Fremantle are a side that does that as well, but Sydney should encounter an under strength midfield lacking in confidence and hence will fair a lot better.
They also have some excellent users of the ball running off half back and these players are super important when playing on Subiaco as guys who can drive the ball long and precisely through the lines can be so damaging.
Malceski, Shaw and Kennelly do it so well and Fremantle will need to put some homework into them if they are to win.
Without Mayne and Ballantyne in attack, Sydney will be confident of restricting the Dockers forwards.
Grundy will probably get Pavlich, with Richards as the second option.
He will probably get Bradley first up provided Sandilands returns.
Hasleby and Fyfe should get some close attention as well.
Brett Kirk will probably go to Hill who is finding life tough without Barlow attracting a tag whilst Mundy might get taken by Moore or perhaps run head to head with Bolton.
At the other end, Mcpharlin lacks the mobility to go with Goodes and a smokey for mine is Roger Hayden who is a player underated by many in Victoria.
Grover is another option, but he might get emerging youngster Trent Dennis Lane.
Ben Mcglynn might get DeBoer or perhaps Ibbotson for company.
Sydney this year have been more inconsistent then normal, and when sides have created space they have lacked the leg speed and class to beat them, but Fremantle just aren't getting enough quality ball out of the middle and some youngsters are carrying more burden then they have for much of the season and as a result they have slipped back to the pack.
Home ground advantage will be a factor, but with O'Keefe, Goodes, Bolton and Kirk back in form, Sydney have too many big bodies playing well and will wear Fremantle down at the stoppages and produce a win that should seal their place in September one last time under Paul Roos.
Sydney by 14 points
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