TonyK
CibbuanoMatch preview: Fremantle v Melbourne
September 15th 2006 04:43
FREMANTLE V MELBOURNE
WHERE & WHEN: Subiaco, 8:30pm (AEST), Friday, September 15
TV & RADIO: Channel 10, Melb (8:00pm) live, Adel (7:30pm) live, Bris (10.35pm), Perth (7:00pm), Sydney (10:35pm), Foxtel, NSW, ACT, QLD (8:00pm AEST). 3AW, ABC National, K-Rock, Triple M, 6PR, NIRS
HEAD TO HEAD: Wins: Fremantle - 9, Melbourne - 9
LAST TIME: Fremantle 15.6 (96) def. Melbourne 9.13 (67), Subiaco Oval, round 16. Fremantle proved too good and too strong at home to score a 29-point win.
HEAD TO HEAD AT THIS VENUE: Fremantle 4, Melbourne 3
LAST TIME AT THIS VENUE: Fremantle 15.6. (96) def. Melbourne 9.13. (67), Subiaco Oval, Round 16 2006.
TAB SPORTSBET: Fremantle $1.30, Melbourne $3.30
BETFAIR: Fremantle $1.41, Melbourne $3.35
Melbourne bounced back to some much needed form against St Kilda in last Friday night's elimination final following a poor month which saw them yield one win and a draw against Geelong.
The Demons looked gone at stages against the Saints, trailing by as much as 27-points before running out eventual 18-point winners.
The Dees will take plenty of confidence from this result and know that their capable of winning from any position.
Travelling to Perth will hold no fears for Melbourne, with the Dees beating Fremantle four times in Perth, with their most recent victory coming in round 11 of 2004.
Whether they like it or not, the pressure is squarely on the Dockers to win and record their first finals win in their third attempt and the Demons will try to use this advantage.
Start well and take the capacity home crowd out of the equation and suddenly the Dockers players will begin to question themselves.
Melbourne have made just the two changes from Friday night's win, with Nathan Brown and ruckman Nick Smith coming into the squad at the expense of injured duo Matthew Whelan and Mark Jamar.
Jamar is a big loss for the Demons as he as provided a more than adequate backup to number one ruckman Jeff White.
How Smith, who is playing his first AFL match since 2003 performs in tandem with White will crucial as the duo attempt to quell the influence of the ever-improving Aaron Sandilands.
Sandilands is a key link-man through the corridor for Fremantle and stopping him will go a long way towards Melbourne recording an upset win.
The loss of Whelan and Jamar is already a blow for Melbourne, however an injury cloud also hangs over defender Nathan Carroll who pulled up sore from last Friday night's elimination final win over the Saints.
Assistant coach Mark Riley told the media yesterday that Carroll was a certain starter, but I wouldn't be suprised if there is a late change.
The loss of Carroll would be a big one for the Demons, as he appears to be the logical match-up for key forward Matthew Pavlich.
Although Melbourne have defender Ben Holland up their sleeve, its questionable whether or not he has the tank to run with the Dockers forward.
The versatile Cameron Bruce could go back onto Pavlich, altohugh coach Neale Daniher would lose a vital cog in his midfield machine, with Bruce averaging 29 possessions and 7 marks this year.
The last time these two sides met back in round 16 the Dockers accounted for an innacurate Melbourne side by 29 points.
Melbourne skipper David Neitz was held goalless that afternoon, and he could prove to be the difference between the two sides tonight.
Neitz has missed Melbourne's past two finals campaigns through injury and showed how important he was on Friday night with four majors.
You would expect defender Luke McPharlin to line-up on Neitz in what shapes as an intriuging contest.
However, once again the major concern for the Demons is the heavy reliance on their captain to kick a winning score.
Neitz managed four against the Saints with the next best being two majors from hard at it midfielder Brock McLean.
The likes of Russell Robertson and Aaron Davey need to stand up and become more consistent contributors if the Dees are going to progress to week three of the finals.
As we all know the Dockers are yet to post a win in finals, the media has been talking about it all week and surely the players will be feeling some pressure going into tonight.
However, Fremantle are back at Subiaco, a venue which they have a 10-1 win-loss record at this year, with a thumping at the hands of Geelong the only blemish on an otherwise flawless home record.
The club will be happy to be back at home in front of their fans after a bitterly disappointing display against Adelaide in last Saturday's qualifying final.
The Dockers were held scoreless after three-quarter time last Saturday, and the prospect of bundling out in straight sets would be a major disappointment for the club, especially after a mid-season resurgence which saw them win nine straight.
Fremantle have made just the two changes for tonight's semi-final, with key talls Graham Polak and Ryan Murphy replacing the injured pair of Paul Hasleby and defender Antoni Grover.
Grover failed to come up after sustaining a back injury in last Saturday's qualifying final, while Hasleby's season is officially over after succumbing to a groin injury which has plagued him for the bulk of 2006.
Murphy is a key inclusion for the Dockers as he provides another option for a forward line which has been the most potent in the second half of the season and he also enables Pavlich to push up into the midfield.
The key for a Fremantle win is their drive off half-back and through the midfield and the likes of Heath Black and Brett Peake are integral.
Black and Peake had 31 and 27 possessions respectively the last time these two sides met and with their ability to break the lines and be precise by foot would be of concern to Melbourne.
You would expect newly crowned All-Australian midfielder James McDonald to be in line for a tagging role on one of these two.
There is plenty at stake for both sides tonight, forget all the talk that Melbourne have nothing to lose.
A preliminary final berth is on offer and both sides will be hard at it from the opening bounce.
However, the home-crowd factor coupled with the multitude of forward options that the Dockers have at their disposal should see Fremantle get over the line in a tight struggle.Fremantle by 10 points.
FREMANTLE
B: Johnson, Parker, Hayden
HB: M.Carr, McPharlin, Mundy
C: Black, J.Carr, Peake
HF: Headland, Polak, Pavlich
F: Farmer, Murphy, Longmuir
FOLL: Sandilands, Cook, Bell
I/C: Crowley, Dodd, McManus, Schammer
EMG: Medhurst, Walker, Webster
IN: Murphy, Polak
OUT: Hasleby (osteitis pubis), Grover (back)
MELBOURNE
B: Ward, Carroll, Holland
HB: Bruce, Rivers, Bell
C: Green, McLean, Brown
HF: Yze, Miller, Pickett
F: Robertson, Neitz, Davey
FOLL: White, Jones, McDonald
I/C: Sylvia, Bate, Smith, Johnstone
EMG: Warnock, Johnson, Godfrey
IN: Brown, Smith
OUT: Whelan (shoulder), Jamar (broken foot)
Field umpires: Vozzo, McInerney, Goldspink
WHERE & WHEN: Subiaco, 8:30pm (AEST), Friday, September 15
TV & RADIO: Channel 10, Melb (8:00pm) live, Adel (7:30pm) live, Bris (10.35pm), Perth (7:00pm), Sydney (10:35pm), Foxtel, NSW, ACT, QLD (8:00pm AEST). 3AW, ABC National, K-Rock, Triple M, 6PR, NIRS
HEAD TO HEAD: Wins: Fremantle - 9, Melbourne - 9
LAST TIME: Fremantle 15.6 (96) def. Melbourne 9.13 (67), Subiaco Oval, round 16. Fremantle proved too good and too strong at home to score a 29-point win.
HEAD TO HEAD AT THIS VENUE: Fremantle 4, Melbourne 3
LAST TIME AT THIS VENUE: Fremantle 15.6. (96) def. Melbourne 9.13. (67), Subiaco Oval, Round 16 2006.
TAB SPORTSBET: Fremantle $1.30, Melbourne $3.30
BETFAIR: Fremantle $1.41, Melbourne $3.35
Melbourne bounced back to some much needed form against St Kilda in last Friday night's elimination final following a poor month which saw them yield one win and a draw against Geelong.
The Demons looked gone at stages against the Saints, trailing by as much as 27-points before running out eventual 18-point winners.
The Dees will take plenty of confidence from this result and know that their capable of winning from any position.
Travelling to Perth will hold no fears for Melbourne, with the Dees beating Fremantle four times in Perth, with their most recent victory coming in round 11 of 2004.
Whether they like it or not, the pressure is squarely on the Dockers to win and record their first finals win in their third attempt and the Demons will try to use this advantage.
Start well and take the capacity home crowd out of the equation and suddenly the Dockers players will begin to question themselves.
Jamar is a big loss for the Demons as he as provided a more than adequate backup to number one ruckman Jeff White.
How Smith, who is playing his first AFL match since 2003 performs in tandem with White will crucial as the duo attempt to quell the influence of the ever-improving Aaron Sandilands.
Sandilands is a key link-man through the corridor for Fremantle and stopping him will go a long way towards Melbourne recording an upset win.
The loss of Whelan and Jamar is already a blow for Melbourne, however an injury cloud also hangs over defender Nathan Carroll who pulled up sore from last Friday night's elimination final win over the Saints.
Assistant coach Mark Riley told the media yesterday that Carroll was a certain starter, but I wouldn't be suprised if there is a late change.
The loss of Carroll would be a big one for the Demons, as he appears to be the logical match-up for key forward Matthew Pavlich.
Although Melbourne have defender Ben Holland up their sleeve, its questionable whether or not he has the tank to run with the Dockers forward.
The versatile Cameron Bruce could go back onto Pavlich, altohugh coach Neale Daniher would lose a vital cog in his midfield machine, with Bruce averaging 29 possessions and 7 marks this year.
The last time these two sides met back in round 16 the Dockers accounted for an innacurate Melbourne side by 29 points.
Melbourne skipper David Neitz was held goalless that afternoon, and he could prove to be the difference between the two sides tonight.
Neitz has missed Melbourne's past two finals campaigns through injury and showed how important he was on Friday night with four majors.
You would expect defender Luke McPharlin to line-up on Neitz in what shapes as an intriuging contest.
However, once again the major concern for the Demons is the heavy reliance on their captain to kick a winning score.
Neitz managed four against the Saints with the next best being two majors from hard at it midfielder Brock McLean.
The likes of Russell Robertson and Aaron Davey need to stand up and become more consistent contributors if the Dees are going to progress to week three of the finals.
As we all know the Dockers are yet to post a win in finals, the media has been talking about it all week and surely the players will be feeling some pressure going into tonight.
However, Fremantle are back at Subiaco, a venue which they have a 10-1 win-loss record at this year, with a thumping at the hands of Geelong the only blemish on an otherwise flawless home record.
The club will be happy to be back at home in front of their fans after a bitterly disappointing display against Adelaide in last Saturday's qualifying final.
The Dockers were held scoreless after three-quarter time last Saturday, and the prospect of bundling out in straight sets would be a major disappointment for the club, especially after a mid-season resurgence which saw them win nine straight.
Fremantle have made just the two changes for tonight's semi-final, with key talls Graham Polak and Ryan Murphy replacing the injured pair of Paul Hasleby and defender Antoni Grover.
Grover failed to come up after sustaining a back injury in last Saturday's qualifying final, while Hasleby's season is officially over after succumbing to a groin injury which has plagued him for the bulk of 2006.
Murphy is a key inclusion for the Dockers as he provides another option for a forward line which has been the most potent in the second half of the season and he also enables Pavlich to push up into the midfield.
The key for a Fremantle win is their drive off half-back and through the midfield and the likes of Heath Black and Brett Peake are integral.
Black and Peake had 31 and 27 possessions respectively the last time these two sides met and with their ability to break the lines and be precise by foot would be of concern to Melbourne.
You would expect newly crowned All-Australian midfielder James McDonald to be in line for a tagging role on one of these two.
There is plenty at stake for both sides tonight, forget all the talk that Melbourne have nothing to lose.
A preliminary final berth is on offer and both sides will be hard at it from the opening bounce.
However, the home-crowd factor coupled with the multitude of forward options that the Dockers have at their disposal should see Fremantle get over the line in a tight struggle.Fremantle by 10 points.
FREMANTLE
B: Johnson, Parker, Hayden
HB: M.Carr, McPharlin, Mundy
C: Black, J.Carr, Peake
HF: Headland, Polak, Pavlich
F: Farmer, Murphy, Longmuir
FOLL: Sandilands, Cook, Bell
I/C: Crowley, Dodd, McManus, Schammer
EMG: Medhurst, Walker, Webster
IN: Murphy, Polak
OUT: Hasleby (osteitis pubis), Grover (back)
MELBOURNE
B: Ward, Carroll, Holland
HB: Bruce, Rivers, Bell
C: Green, McLean, Brown
HF: Yze, Miller, Pickett
F: Robertson, Neitz, Davey
FOLL: White, Jones, McDonald
I/C: Sylvia, Bate, Smith, Johnstone
EMG: Warnock, Johnson, Godfrey
IN: Brown, Smith
OUT: Whelan (shoulder), Jamar (broken foot)
Field umpires: Vozzo, McInerney, Goldspink
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