TonyK
CibbuanoRound one preview: Fremantle v Adelaide
March 27th 2010 17:59
VENUE and TIME: Subiaco Oval, Sun March 28, 2:10pm AWST (5.10pm AEDT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 24, Adelaide 15, Fremantle 9
LAST TIME: Adelaide 19.16 (130) d Fremantle 1.7 (13), Round 15, 2009 at AAMI Stadium
RECENT HISTORY: The Crows have won their past three against Fremantle and inflicted the Dockers’ equal-highest ever loss in their history the last time these two sides met.
FORM: Fremantle progressed through to the semi-finals of the NAB Cup where they were thumped to the tune of 70 points by St Kilda. The Dockers then suffered a 31-point loss to Geelong despite winning three of the four quarters of football. Adelaide was knocked out of the NAB Cup in the first round thanks to a 63-point loss to cross-town rivals Port Adelaide before going down to Collingwood in wet conditions at the Top End. The Crows then finished their pre-season campaign with a last-gasp win over Melbourne and a solid victory over Carlton.
MEDICAL ROOM: Fremantle midfielder Matt de Boer (shin) will miss the clash with Adelaide while veteran defender Antoni Grover is likely to be sidelined for the next eight weeks with a knee injury. Youngster Tim Ruffles (knee) and Scott Thornton (groin) will be out until round 10 while 2008 NAB Rising Star winner Rhys Palmer (knee) isn’t expected to play for at least another month. For the Crows, Jason Porplyzia has overcome a pelvis injury but will play for West Adelaide this weekend in a bid to gain some match fitness. Chris Knights (foot) and Brett Burton (knee) are a couple of weeks away from playing while hard-running defender Graham Johncock (thumb) will be out for up to four weeks. Brad Symes (knee), Brad Moran (knee), Brodie Martin (knee) and Sam Shaw (shin) are also unavailable while promising young defender Andy Otten will miss the entire 2010 season with a serious knee injury.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Nathan Bock vs. Matthew Pavlich
Pavlich will be back in his customary role up forward in 2010 after a stint in the midfield last season.
The last time Fremantle accounted for Adelaide was back in round 16, 2007. Pavlich played a key role in that win, booting five goals.
A similar performance on Sunday will see the Dockers secure the four premiership points.
Bock has gotten the job on Pavlich in the past and will line-up on him once again in what will be a pivotal duel.
If Pavlich is going to have a major impact he will need his teammates to be precise with their use of the football going forward otherwise Fremantle will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Bock who averaged 24.5 disposals per game in 2009.
Chris Tarrant vs. Kurt Tippett
Tippett starred last season with 55 goals and looks set for an even bigger year in 2010 after a stellar pre-season campaign.
With Porplyzia, Burton and Knights on the sidelines, shutting down Tippett will go a long way towards securing victory for the Dockers.
The job of trying to curtail the Crows’ young gun will go to Tarrant who reinvented himself as a defender last year.
If Tarrant can restrict Tippett to three goals the Dockers should win.
Michael Doughty vs. Paul Hasleby
Hasleby was Fremantle’s most consistent midfielder last season, racking up a team-high 533 disposals.
The 28-year-old is highly effective at winning the football at the stoppages and using it cleanly by hand to find his runners in space.
Doughty impressed as a tagger last year, blanketing the likes of Chris Judd and Sam Mitchell and will be given the job on the Fremantle veteran.
Not only did Doughty quell the influence of some of the premier midfielders in the competition but he was also a prolific ball-winner, averaging a touch under 22 disposals per game.
Hasleby will need to work hard going both ways.
Ryan Crowley vs. Scott Thompson
Thompson was one of Adelaide’s best last season, averaging 26 possessions per game.
Limiting Thompson’s influence in the middle will be a key for Fremantle if they are going to starve Tippett and co. of quality supply.
Crowley is the Dockers’ number one stopper in the middle and will be given the task of trying to negate the former Demon.
Fremantle will need Crowley to apply plenty of body pressure and deny Thompson any time or space in which to work in otherwise he will cut them to shreds.
VERDICT: Fremantle hasn’t won a round one match since 2005 but will fancy their chances of starting the season with a win over an Adelaide side that has been hampered by injuries. Expect the Dockers' midfielders to run their opponents off their legs on the wide open expanses of Subiaco Oval and provide the likes of Hayden Ballantyne, Chris Mayne, Des Headland, Michael Johnson and Pavlich with enough quality supply. Dockers by 25 points.
FREMANTLE v ADELAIDE
Fremantle
B: Alex Silvagni, Chris Tarrant, Garrick Ibbotson
HB: Greg Broughton, Luke McPharlin, Roger Hayden
C: Anthony Morabito, David Mundy, Adam McPhee
HF: Michael Johnson, Matthew Pavlich, Stephen Hill
F: Jay van Berlo, Chris Mayne, Hayden Ballantyne
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Michael Barlow, Paul Duffield
I/C: Des Headland, Nick Suban, Paul Hasleby, Ryan Crowley
Emg: Byron Schammer, Steven Dodd, Kepler Bradley
New: Michael Barlow (Werribee), Anthony Morabito (Peel Thunder), Alex Silvagni (Casey)
Adelaide
B: Andrew McLeod, Ben Rutten, Scott Stevens
HB: Brent Reilly, Nathan Bock, Michael Doughty
C: Myke Cook, Simon Goodwin, David Mackay
HF: Bernie Vince, Trent Hentschel, Tyson Edwards
F: Richard Douglas, Kurt Tippett, Taylor Walker
Foll: Jonathon Griffin, Nathan van Berlo, Scott Thompson
I/C: Tony Armstrong, Patrick Dangerfield, Jared Petrenko, Rory Sloane
Emg: Jarrhan Jacky*, Ivan Maric, Will Young
New: Tony Armstrong (Calder)
*Jacky took Graham Johncock's place in the squad after he was ruled out on Friday morning with a broken thumb.
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