Knocking on the door
Freo has a host of players ready and willing to come into the side this Sunday and over the coming weeks. Nat Fyfe is already a confirmed starter and Chris Mayne also returns after a week out. Zac Dawson will push to regain his spot in defence once his knee has recovered, while Nick Lower has had two weeks off. He was in fine form before missing and played WAFL last Saturday. Greg Broughton faces a fitness test but will also slot back in once right. Lachie Neale did his chances of a recall no harm with a dominant 35-disposal, 11-mark outing for Swan Districts, while Peter Faulks (Peel) has been the form defender in the WAFL for a consistent period of time in a team that has been up against it most weeks.
NAT FYFE WILL PLAY & MAKE A BIG IMPACT SAYS RUCKMAN
But who comes out?
Freo’s selectors will have a migraine by the time 4.25pm (WST) arrives on Thursday, when the squads are submitted. With a multitude of players ready to resume or bashing down the selection door though performance, the biggest question will be: who comes out? Kepler Bradley has been very solid in the past fortnight and would be ahead of Zac Clarke at the minute because of that. Cam Sutcliffe has had two appearances as a sub but he has been a ball-magnet each time he’s come onto the field. Paul Duffield was dropped earlier in the season but has found good form in recent weeks, while Michael Walters has definitely done enough to stay in the side. Lee Spurr is another to have performed admirably in the past fortnight and would be very unlucky to miss out. Dylan Roberton and Nick Suban are probably the two most under the gun following quiet games against GWS, while Tendai Mzungu’s numbers have been a bit down lately, although he’s had a good season overall.
FORM WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH SAYS DUFFIELD
Full focus on the Power
Freo is one win away from completing an unbeaten month of footy leading into what shapes as one of the biggest Carlton Mid Derbies ever. But looking too far ahead is fraught with danger. Full attention must be given to a Port Adelaide team that has already defeated top 8 hopefuls North Melbourne, St Kilda and Carlton at AAMI Stadium this year. Win this game first, and then start thinking Eagles.
CLICK HERE FOR A FREO V PORT MATCH PREVIEW
The concussion debate
Following Adelaide forward Kurt Tippett’s third concussion in the past month, the debate has raged around the AFL world as to how clubs should treat players who suffer multiple concussions. Nick Lower missed a game because of concussion recently. He returned via the WAFL last week and came off the ground with nausea. Freo was not yet sure if it was related to the concussion or because of illness, but he will hope to play against Port - the team that delisted him in 2009.
Rotating ruck/forwards
Freo rotated Jon Griffin, Kepler Bradley and Zac Clarke between the ruck and forward line against the Giants. The tactic seemed to pay dividends and could be used against the Power. It will be interesting to see how Ross Lyon works it when Aaron Sandilands returns to the line-up.
More stories:
GRIFFIN CONFIDENT OF FORMING RUCK PARTNERSHIP WITH SANDI
FREO V PORT MATCH PREVIEW
FORM WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH SAYS DUFFIELD
NAT FYFE WILL PLAY & MAKE A BIG IMPACT SAYS RUCKMAN
WHO COMES IN? WHO COMES OUT?
On This Round in History: Round 18, 2011 - Derby heartbreak
