45,009 – The largest crowd attendance in a game between Freo and Adelaide (Rd 9, 2015)
126 – Highest score kicked against Adelaide
59 – Adelaide haven’t scored more than 59 points against Freo since 2012
41 – Games Jonathon Griffin played for Adelaide before being traded to Freo
6 – There have been six winning streaks of three games or more between Freo and Adelaide.
4 – Freo currently possess a four game winning streak against Adelaide
Last time we met
Fremantle (10.8.68) def Adelaide 7.15.57 in Rd 9, 2015
Nat Fyfe played his best game in his Brownlow winning year, with a career high 40 disposals and 14 clearances.
Aaron Sandilands had a career high (at the time) 69 hit outs, he would eclipse this number two weeks later against the Gold Coast.
Michael Walters was efficient, kicking three goals from 12 disposals.
Adelaide’s inaccuracy was their undoing late in the game, needing two goals but only registering three behinds in the final 10 minutes of the game.
The rematch that never was
The injury to Nat Fyfe and the trade of Patrick Dangerfield to Geelong in the off-season prevented the much-anticipated rematch of last season’s battle. However, that’s not to say individual contests aren’t on the cards for Saturday’s game and the forward line battle between electric small forwards Eddie Betts and Michael Walters will be worth watching.
Freo’s Crow-eaters
Freo have a number of players who will be returning home to South Australia for Saturday’s contest. Lachie Neale, Matthew Pavlich, Cam Sutcliffe, Danyle Pearce all hail from SA, while Lee Spurr is also familiar with the “City of Churches”, winning two SANFL premierships with the dominant Central Districts teams of the mid 2000’s.
Adelaide’s forward riches
It won’t be as simple as shutting down one key forward against Adelaide, as the Crows four forwards Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins, Tom Lynch and Eddie Betts have combined for 43 goals during the first five rounds of 2016. It will require a collaborative effort from Freo’s back six to quell Adelaide’s forward line firepower.
