The Numbers Game
2,520 – Days since Freo’s last loss to Brisbane (Rd 16, 2009)
166 – Combined career games Des Headland played for both Fremantle (114) and Brisbane (52)
65 – Freo have kept Brisbane to 65 points or less in their past six games.
24 – Total games played between Freo and Brisbane (13 wins 11 losses)
3 – Freo have won their past three games at the Gabba
1 – One more win against the Lions on Saturday will equal Freo’s longest winning streak against an opponent. (nine wins v Carlton, 2002-2007)
Last Time we Met
Fremantle (13.6.84) def Brisbane Lions (7.6.48)
Freo won a tightly contested game as a seven goal to one final quarter saw them run out 36 point winners in wet conditions.
Fremantle captain David Mundy led by example against the Lions with a game high 30 disposals as well as laying eight tackles.
Michael Walters proved to be a handful up forward with four goals from 11 touches.
Chris Mayne put in a strong defensive performance with a career-high 14 tackles.
Freo’s defensive midfielders had an attacking presence as Nick Suban and Lee Spurr led the team in inside 50s with seven and five respectively.
Crozier loving life as a defender
The 100+ mark
The 100-point mark is often a good barometer of success in the AFL, and this is no different for Freo’s contest with Brisbane on Saturday. So far in 2016, the team that has scored more than 100 points has won 85 per cent of the time. Brisbane have conceded 100 points in nine of 11 games so far whereas Fremantle have done so on five occasions. In contrast, neither team has made a habit of scoring big but Freo are coming off a season-high score of 126 in round 11, while the Lions haven’t kicked more than 100 points since their round four win against the Gold Coast.
Freo’s halfbacks in form
Fremantle’s 79 point win against Essendon last Saturday was in part due to the strong performances of Freo’s running defenders. David Mundy played his most complete game of the year across halfback against the Bombers, finishing with 33 touches and a goal. Freo’s younger players were also influential with Tommy Sheridan collecting a career-high 30 disposals and Hayden Crozier using his accurate left foot to great effect with 23 touches and 87 per cent disposal efficiency.
Stop the mids, stop the goals
While Brisbane have some formidable tall talent in Josh Walker, Stefan Martin and number two overall pick Josh Schache, the first stop for Freo will be to prevent the goal kicking abilities of the Lions’ midfielders.
In 2016, 46 per cent of the Lions goals have come from five players, Dayne Zorko, Tom Bell, Lewis Taylor, Ryan Lester and Daniel Rich. These five spend the majority of their time through the midfield and physically are far from key position players, as the average height/weight of the group is 181cm and 84kg.
Youngsters continue to grow
Freo’s younger crop of players will look to carry over their good form from last week’s win against the Bombers. Five players with less than 50 games of experience set or equalled their career highs in disposals in round 11. Lachie Weller (22), Sam Collins (24) and Tommy Sheridan (30) each set new personal bests in touches while Darcy Tucker (16) and Connor Blakely (25) each equalled their previous best. Freo will look for continued growth against a Brisbane team that also possess their fair share of young talent.
