Falconista
🌹Rebel red carnation🌹
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2019
- Posts
- 11,243
- Reaction score
- 43,137
- Location
- H.Chapman bandwagon
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
- Other Teams
- Perth Bears; Gumbies
Ah, Geelong, along with Hawthorn you are a team that Fremantle finds it hard to crack. At Kardinia Park, it’s even more rare to taste victory. Sorry, hang on, I’ve got an email from a ‘Stephen of Gingin’ who is asking me to remember back to Federal Election Day in 2013. Random, but I’ll go with it... He asks if I’ll recite the following to you all.
Sandilands the big fist,
Look at that Hill..
Somehow, off the interchange bench..
And into his hands..
Maybe it’s Fremantle’s day..
Walters is on, Hill keeps going..
This to send them into a home preliminary final...
For the FIRST TIME, IN THEIR HISTORY!
Thanks Stephen, that brings back some lovely memories. 15 phenomenal seconds. At Kardinia Park, versus Geelong, IN A BLOODY FINAL!!
Now that we’re all euphoric on this memory, let’s preview the match.
The good news is it’s a Fox Footy game so no Luke Darcy commentary and thus no repeats of last weeks shambles of calling our coach “Jason Longmuir” or our small forward “Sonny Williams”. Bad news though, it could well be a Dwayne Russell and Kelli Underwood duo. Regardless, this match shapes as a well-timed litmus test for Fremantle. You can only beat who is in front of you for which the Dockers have done 5 times in 6. The nagging question though remains, have the purple beaten anyone of substance?
In the author’s estimations, this match will be won or lost by the kicks inside 50. This season has seen both teams play a style much more offence focussed. For Fremantle, it has not been uncommon for chains of possessions to be followed by a long kick in to the forwards. Geelong with their superior skills and experience, kick the ball inside fifty with more precision often seeking their leading forwards. Geelong will be hoping that Fremantle continue the haphazard ‘bomb it in’ style as their defenders such as Stewart and Blicavs are excellent defenders who are accomplished aerial players. One suspects that the superior ball use of the Cats going forward is going to be too difficult to stop.
With COVID about there is no point speculating on the full teams four days out other than that Neil Erasmus will likely be in the squad [concussion test permitting] after he carved up in the WAFL.
- Sean DARCY/Lloyd MEEK: Whoever plays this week should comfortably win the hitout tally. Geelong are without a dominant ruck so hitouts to advantage are vital. Both will also be needed to cover extra metres to impede the tall Geelong forwards and stretch the Cat’s defence by taking marks or bringing the ball to ground for Schultz and Walters to go to work.
- Rebounding Irishmen
Rick O’SHEAZach TUOHY: Has continued his excellent form of the past few years. Stopping his rebound a must for Fremantle. - Mitch DUNCAN: Rarely wastes a possession. Has been a little down on form so far in 2022 so might be due a big game.
- Sam SWITKOWSKI: I’m very late to the party, but after the match vs Carlton last week, I finally understand what the fuss is about. Switkowski could have a profound impact in this contest as his excellent ball use assists greatly his fellow forwards.
No pressure, Lachie!
All in all, this match might be the most important of our season. It likely won’t be a win, however, the wins will be how the younger players cope against a young side and how willing the team is to both muck in and endure a Geelong wave. A non-thrashing loss that isn’t reliant on Luke Ryan, Brayshaw, Mundy #chasing4hundy or SonSon is imho, a good result. Get smashed and we just prove, yet again, that we are the footy equivalent of a man with a terrible comb over.
Go well and let’s hope come Saturday evening we’ll be able to hold our heads high as Dockers fans.
