Fremantle can afford to cruise into finals

The West Australian

Four-times premiership coach Leigh Matthews says Fremantle shouldn’t hesitate to rest sore players in Sunday’s western derby, believing it could enhance their chances of success in the finals.

The ladder-leading Dockers were bolstered yesterday for the Domain Stadium blockbuster against second-placed West Coast with the inclusion of stars Michael Johnson (hamstring) and Nat Fyfe (groin) to their 25-man squad.

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Fremantle did not allow Lachie Weller to be interviewed for this piece.

JUDE Weller found it hard to concentrate on the game. Fremantle was playing Greater Western Sydney, but for the first three quarters, she spent most of the time looking at the bench.

Her youngest son, Lachie, was in the Dockers' substitute vest, and she could tell he was desperate to get involved. "The number of times he warmed up, stretched and got his calves rubbed, I thought he'd get out on the ground and collapse," Jude said.

Instead, he ran. He got a mark, then a handball and then a kick within seconds of getting on the ground, the home crowd greeting his entrance with cheers. In fact, each one of his eight disposals inspired a roar.

And the derby winner is ….

The West

So long as their established stars are all declared fit for Sunday’s clash at Domain Stadium, Fremantle hold the necessary cards to square the western derby ledger at 21 wins a piece.