When and Where - Saturday 7 April, 12.10pm (WST) bounce down, Sydney Cricket Ground
Perth Broadcast information
TV: Live 12.00pm (WST) Fox Sports 1 and Channel 7
Radio: Live 12.00pm (WST) 720 ABC and 882 6PR
Form-line
Freo - Rd 1 - W
Syd - Rd 1 - W
The medical room
Freo - Fremantle’s injury list is pleasingly short, with only one long-term-injury (Viv Michie) to report. Anthony Morabito and Alex Silvagni resumed through the WAFL last week, while David Mundy is very close to playing. Jack Anthony is back after a week out with a minor calf injury.
Sydney - The good news for Sydney is that star midfielder Ryan O’Keefe is back, along with hard-running defender Rhyce Shaw. Up and coming midfielder Luke Parker was named despite sustaining a jaw injury in round 1.
Who’s hot
Freo - Tendai Mzungu: When most players were out on their feet during the pulsating final quarter against Geelong last Saturday, Mzungu’s enormous tank helped him play a significant role in Freo’s win. A player on the rise.
Sydney - Josh Kennedy: The former Hawk was just about best-on-ground in Sydney’s round 1 win over Greater Western Sydney, accumulating 27 hard-fought disposals and two goals. His in-and-under work will be crucial on the tight confines of the SCG on Saturday.
X-Factor
Freo - Nat Fyfe: The young star played one of the best games of his career in the round 17 clash against the Swans at the SCG in 2011. He was brilliant last week against the Cats and looms as a match-winner on Saturday.
Sydney - Adam Goodes: One of the stars of the competition, Goodes must be contained as he has the ability to win a game off his own boot.
Key match-up
Aaron Sandilands v Shane Mumford - Two of the best ruckmen in the league. The winner of this giant match-up will play a key part in the ultimate outcome of Saturday’s match. Sandilands was dominant against an inexperienced Geelong ruck brigade in the early stages of the round 1 match, helping Freo race out to a five-goal lead. Mumford will be a different proposition come Saturday.
Stats that matter
- These two sides had the most Contested Possessions in the AFL in round 1. Fremantle had 167 while Sydney had 155.
- Fremantle ranked 16th with 23.7% and Sydney 15th with 25.2% in round 1 for Mark-Play on percentage.
- In round 1, Sydney had 71 inside-50s against GWS, Fremantle had 41 against Geelong.
When they last met
Sunday 17 July 2011, SCG
Sydney Swans 3.2 6.3 8.5 13.9 (87)
Fremantle 3.2 7.4 14.7 15.8 (98)
After a bye in round 16, Fremantle fronted up to face fellow top eight hopefuls Sydney on a drenched SCG. Seeking a third win in a row, the visitors got just that thanks to an incredible team effort and a sublime showcasing of skill from one of the youngest players in the squad - Nat Fyfe. The boy from Lake Grace finished with 31 possessions - 22 contested - and eight clearances. He also kicked a magnificent goal in the third quarter that defied belief in the difficult conditions. A brilliant seven-goals-to-two third term had seemingly set Freo up with a match-winning 38-point lead at the last change, but the resilient Swans made one more charge. With less than 80 seconds remaining and the margin only six points, Nick Lower capped off his excellent day (30 disposals, eight tackles) with the winning goal and a fist-pumping celebration. Freo now sat sixth on the AFL ladder with seven games to go. On a sad note, Roger Hayden suffered an injury in what would be his 128th and final AFL game.
Brownlow Medal votes: 3- Fyfe, 2- McVeigh (Sydney), 1- Roberts-Thomson (Sydney)
Toyota AFL Dream Team
Freo - Nat Fyfe scored 105 when these two teams last met and he has a 92 average in three matches against the Swans. Although he will receive a lot of attention from Sydney this Saturday, Fyfe is good enough to accumulate another big score.
Sydney - Daniel Hannebery: The young gun has averaged 111 Dream Team points-per-game in his three matches against Freo. He was very quiet with 44 points in round 1 so expect him to be desperate to atone.
Where Freo can win it
Winning the contested ball is crucial on the small SCG against the hard-at-it Swans.
Fremantle assistant coach Simon Lloyd said the addition of former Swans’ stoppages coach Mark Stone as Freo’s midfield and stoppages coach has been important in that area.
“We’ve spent a lot of work on stoppages over summer and the game will be won on contested ball,” Lloyd said.
“Contested ball and tackling will be a major focus, as it is for every club.”
Lloyd also noted that Sydney had 71 inside-50 entries against Greater Western Sydney in round 1 and took only eight marks.
“They play a crumming-type game entering their attack. That’s something we’ll have to be mindful of also,” he said.
