Fremantle has confirmed their final team of 21 to take on Melbourne in the Pride Round clash on Sunday 12 October, headlined by the return of key forward Áine Tighe, who is set to play her first AFLW game in 386 days.
The key forward suffered an ACL injury in her right knee in Round 4 of the 2024 NAB AFLW Season and will make her return a week earlier than originally anticipated.
Tighe has been named on-field in the forward line alongside Georgie Brisbane, Ange Stannett, Hayley Miller and Meg Kauffman and replaces Holly Ifould who has been omitted for the clash and listed as an emergency.
Evie Parker and Amy Mulholland round out the side’s emergencies for the clash.
Fremantle’s interchange bench of five consists of Dana East, Matilda Banfield, Laura Pugh, Tunisha Kikoak, and Gabby Biedenweg-Webster.
Confirmed in the squad announcement yesterday, defender Sarah Verrier will return to the team, named in the backline, after being sidelined for last week’s game against Hawthorn due to illness.
Verrier replaces Gabby O’Sullivan, who has soreness in her left foot.
Vice-captain Ash Brazill, Emma O’Driscoll, Indi West and Indi Strom join Verrier in the backline.
Brazill spoke to media on Thursday morning, touching on what the side have been focussing on to notch their fourth win of the season.
“Our biggest thing at the moment is praising those little things – praising a ground ball get, a kick into our forward 50,” Brazill said.
“All these little things add up, and for us, that’s what we’re not capitalising on at the moment.
“It’s just belief. I feel like as soon as you start losing games and it’s not just in-house but in the media and going home - you have people saying all these different things and it’s just trying to narrow the girls’ mindsets and ears.
“All that matters is what your coaches are saying in the end.”
The last time these two sides faced each other in Round 4 of the 2024 NAB AFLW Season, Fremantle had a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback to secure a thrilling six-point win 7.5 (47) to 6.5 (41), after coming back from 18-points down at three-quarter time.
“That’s why I play footy. It’s not when you’re up by 50,” Brazill said.
“It’s those crunch moments where it’s a one-goal or point difference – who is going to dig in deeper?”
This Sunday in honour of Pride Round, Fremantle will wear its 2025 Pride Jumper, which honours the Club’s legacy while embracing a powerful show of unity and inclusion.
The core design of the jumper is made up of 120 hearts - each hand-drawn by Fremantle players and staff, making up a rainbow version of the classic white chevrons.
The game will be broadcast live on 7mate and Fox Sports, and streamed live on Kayo, Binge and 7plus from 2pm WST.
