SUMMARY
Having overcome a fired-up Melbourne by five points in a thrilling shootout, North Melbourne returns to Etihad Stadium to face a desperate Fremantle Dockers outfit. Fremantle is 0-3 for the first time under Ross Lyon. Freo were better in the Carlton Draught Derby after reverting to a more familiar defensive playing style, but the 33-point defeat was compounded by broken ribs and a collapsed lung suffered by ruckman Aaron Sandilands.
WHERE AND WHEN: Etihad Stadium, Sunday 17 April, 4.40pm AEST
TV AND RADIO: Click here for broadcast guide
Head to Head
LAST FIVE TIMES
R21, 2015, North Melbourne 14.10 (94) d Fremantle 12.11 (83) at Etihad Stadium
R8, 2015, Fremantle 17.13 (115) d North Melbourne 5.12 (42) at Domain Stadium
R6, 2014, North Melbourne 10.14 (74) d Fremantle 8.13 (61) at Domain Stadium
R13, 2013, Fremantle 10.7 (67) d North Melbourne 4.5 (29) at Domain Stadium
R22, 2012, Fremantle 20.12 (132) d North Melbourne 12.7 (79) at Etihad Stadium
THE FIVE POINTS
1. The Fremantle Dockers could really feel the pain of losing Sandilands against North. The ruckman was best on ground with 43 hit-outs, 14 disposals and two goals last time the teams met. Roos counterpart Todd Goldstein was almost as good with 28 hit-outs, two goals and 15 touches, earning two Brownlow votes.
Freo ready for Goldstein challenge
2. North and Freo are a contrast in terms of scoring. The Roos are averaging 120 points a game while Freo is averaging just 65 points.
3. The Fremantle Dockers have never lost four consecutive games under Ross Lyon. The club hasn’t lost four in a row at any time since the last four games of 2011 and as a senior coach Lyon has lost four in a row only once, early in his first season in 2007.
4. The Roos have had the upper hand of Freo at Etihad Stadium, winning five of the six meetings.
5. Freo's one-time clearance advantage has dropped off this year. The Freo Dockers are ranked 14th (32.3 per game) while the Roos are ranked second, averaging 42.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR …
Jonathon Griffin. Fremantle's 201cm big man is set to be called up to replace Aaron Sandilands after two solid WAFL performances, but faces a significant task curbing the influence of the best ruckman in the land, Goldstein.
