Fremantle take on West Coast on Saturday night at Optus Stadium for RAC Derby 50, here are some interesting numbers to look out for.
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40.1 hitouts
This season, Fremantle have averaged 33.5 hitouts and 9.4 hitouts to advantage. With the return of veteran ruckman Aaron Sandilands, Freo could hope for an increase in these numbers. Since 2014, Sandilands has averaged 40.1 hitouts and 12.8 hitouts to advantage per game.
16.6 intercept marks
Fremantle rank third for intercept marks this season with an average of 16.6 per game, compared to 14.7 for West Coast.
Luke Ryan (2.1) and Joel Hamling (1.9) lead Freo in the stat, while fellow defender Griffin Logue has averaged 3.1 per game form his three appearances so far this season.
The bulk of West Coast’s intercept marks come via defender Jeremy McGovern, who leads the league with an average of 3.7 per game.
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17.8 contested possessions
Nat Fyfe will make his return to the derby after missing the past two clashes between the WA-based teams.
Fyfe currently leads the league in contested possessions with an average of 17.8 per game, and he ranks fourth for clearances with an average of 7.8 per game.
The last time Fyfe played a derby, he dominated in the opening term before Elliot Yeo was utilised as a tagger, helping limit the Freo captain to 12 contested possessions and four clearances for the game.
110.1 ground ball gets
Fremantle have been more likely to win the ball on the ground than West Coast this season. Freo ranks second in the AFL for ground ball gets with an average of 110.1 per game, while West Coast ranks 18th in the stat with 87.9 per game.
GROUND BALL GETS | HARD BALL GETS | LOOSE BALL GETS | |
Port Adelaide | 113 | 40.2 | 74.9 |
Fremantle | 110.1 | 40.8 | 70.1 |
Adelaide Crows | 109.4 | 48.3 | 62.5 |
Geelong Cats | 108.4 | 46.6 | 63.3 |
Melbourne | 107.5 | 47 | 62.3 |
Western Bulldogs | 102.6 | 40.1 | 62.9 |
North Melbourne | 101.1 | 37.1 | 64.4 |
Essendon | 100.6 | 43 | 59.6 |
Brisbane Lions | 99.6 | 40.8 | 60.9 |
GWS Giants | 99.4 | 40.9 | 58.9 |
Sydney Swans | 99.3 | 44.9 | 55.1 |
Gold Coast Suns | 99.1 | 42.5 | 57.5 |
St Kilda | 98.8 | 41.5 | 58.8 |
Carlton | 97.7 | 39.5 | 60.5 |
Richmond | 96 | 36.5 | 60.6 |
Collingwood | 95.1 | 39.1 | 59 |
Hawthorn | 91.9 | 34.1 | 59.6 |
West Coast | 87.9 | 33.9 | 55.9 |
97.9 marks per game
While Freo are more likely to win the ground ball, West Coast are more likely to keep the ball off the ground. Freo rank 18th for short kicks with 73.5 per game and 15th for marks with 85.5 per game, while West Coast rank third in the AFL for short kicks with 89.8 per game and third for marks with 97.9 per game.
