LAST FIVE TIMES
R25, 2012 Adelaide 12.9 (81) Fremantle11.5 (71) AAMI Stadium
R20, 2012 Adelaide 17.17 (119) Fremantle14.7 (91) AAMI Stadium
R10, 2012 Fremantle 12.10 (82) Adelaide 17.9 (111) Patersons Stadium
R3, 2011 Adelaide 7.12 (54) Fremantle11.13 (79) AAMI Stadium
R11, 2010 Adelaide 16.9 (105) Fremantle12.10 (82) AAMI Stadium
Social Media
Twitter - Make sure you follow our match day account @FreoFC_MatchDay for comprehensive pre-game info, match scores, highlights, stats and analysis, and post-game recaps. Don't forget to follow the club's official account @Fremantle_FC for updates throughout the week.
Facebook - Get score updates and chat with other Freo fans during the game with our official Facebook account.
Instagram – For a behind-the-scenes look at game day follow FremantleDockers on Instagram.
The selection table
Fremantle – Stephen Hill is likely to return, but Matthew Pavlich may be held back until after the bye. Freo’s line-up appears settled right now so don’t expect too many changes this week.
Adelaide – Two of Adelaide’s best performers against Freo in 2012 have not been in the team recently. Taylor Walker is out for the year, while Matthew Wright, who had 37 disposals in one of the Crows’ three wins over Ross Lyon’s side, was dropped last week. Ruckman Sam Jacobs was subbed off early in Adelaide’s last game after failing to wield much influence. The only other long-term casualties on Adelaide’s list are youngsters Sam Shaw and Lewis Johnston.
Possible line-ups - Freo mentioned first in bold
| F: | M de Boer | J Hannath | H Ballantyne |
| B: | B Reilly | B Rutten | B Smith |
| HF: | D Pearce | C Mayne | H Crozier |
| HB: | N van Berlo | D Talia | D Mackay |
| C: | S Hill | D Mundy | N Fyfe |
| C: | B Vince | P Dangerfield | R Douglas |
| HB: | M Johnson | L McPharlin | G Ibbotson |
| HF: | S Kerridge | T Lynch | J Lyons |
| B: | L Spurr | Z Dawson | P Duffield |
| F: | J Porplyzia | J Jenkins | J Petrenko |
| Ruck: | Z Clarke | M Barlow | R Crowley |
| Ruck: | S Jacobs | S Thompson | R Sloane |
| INT from: | A Silvagni, N Suban, C Pearce, T Mzungu, C Sutcliffe | ||
| INT from: | S McKernan, R Laird, A Otten, M Wright, L Brown |
X Factors
Fremantle – Danyle Pearce: Pearce’s silky-skill and finishing ability would have been very handy in contests against the Crows last season, and his knowledge of AAMI Stadium from his time at Port Adelaide will also be welcomed this week.
Adelaide – Sam Kerridge: The second year player proved the difference with six goals against North Melbourne in Adelaide’s amazing comeback win last week. He could be just the tonic the Crows need up forward without Taylor Walker.
Key Match-ups
Ryan Crowley v Patrick Dangerfield: Crowley didn’t play on Dangerfield in the first two contests of 2012 and the Crow midfielder torched Freo. But Crowley went to Dangerfield in the semi-final and held him to just 18 disposals.
Zac Clarke v Sam Jacobs: Clarke’s efforts in his first fortnight back have been significant, while Jacobs has been well below his best this season. With midfield supremacy a huge factor this Saturday, this will be a vital match-up.
David Mundy v Scott Thompson: These two warriors of their respective midfields rank eighth (Mundy) and 18th in the AFL for clearances this season.
Dream Team
Fremantle: Michael Barlow: He has averaged 100 over his past three against the Crows. Barlow is in tremendous form this season with Dream Team scores of 122, 100, 123 and 149 in his past five matches.
Adelaide: Rory Sloane: Dangerfield might have received most of the plaudits for his efforts against Freo last season, but Rory Sloane was also very good against the team in purple, averaging 105 Dream Team points in his three games.
Keys to victory
Freo will be happy if: They keep the ball locked away in their forward half, which they are statistically the best in the AFL at doing this season.
Adelaide will be happy if: They can find a way to penetrate Freo’s number one ranked defence. The Crows take the least possessions in the AFL to kick a goal once they get it inside 50, so they may take some confidence from that statistic.
Last time they met
ADELAIDE v FREMANTLE – SEMI-FINAL
FRIDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2012, AAMI STADIUM
FREMANTLE 4.1 7.2 8.4 11.5 (71)
ADELAIDE 1.3 4.7 8.9 12.9 (81)
GOALS FREMANTLE: Mayne 3, Walters 3, Ballantyne, Ibbotson, Fyfe, Suban, Pavlich
GOALS ADELAIDE: Walker 5, Porplyzia 3, Dangerfield, Wright, Tippett, Vince
SUB: Nick Suban replaced Garrick Ibbotson at three-quarter time
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: Nicholls, Meredith, McInerney
OFFICIAL CROWD: 31,742
Freo exploded out of the gates in the sudden-death semi-final and looked set to trump the Adelaide Crows in the third meeting between the clubs this season. The same pressure that made Geelong feel like it was playing footy in a phone box the week before was heaped on the Crows, as the upstart visitors bounded to a 29-point lead early in the second quarter. But the home side would not lay down. Spearheaded by Taylor Walker, who kicked a momentum-altering goal after the half-time siren, Adelaide turned the game in the third quarter. Two goals to Walker and another to Matthew Wright gave the Crows their first lead 17 minutes into the term. Seemingly on the ropes, Freo came again with a couple of big swings at the start of the final term. Goals to Nick Suban and Matthew Pavlich put the visitors ahead. But this was Walker’s night. He goaled twice more and Freo’s brave advance into the 2012 AFL Finals Series suffered its final, painful blow.
ROSS LYON: “Failure is feedback, we clearly need to improve and we’ve got plenty of work to do. There’s no guarantee we’ll be back here next year — I think that’s the overriding message. We all start equal next year.”
DOIG MEDAL VOTES
16 David Mundy
12 Chris Mayne
12 Michael Walters
8 Ryan Crowley
8 Michael Johnson
4 Michael Barlow
4 Paul Duffield
4 Adam McPhee
4 Nathan Fyfe
4 Zac Dawson
4 Lee Spurr
3 Aaron Sandilands
