LAST FIVE TIMES
R14, 2009, Carlton 16.19 (115) d Fremantle 15.10 (100) at Patersons Stadium
R13, 2010, Fremantle 14.12 (96) d Carlton 12.15 (87) at Etihad Stadium
R22, 2010, Fremantle 13.15 (93) d Carlton 13.9 (87) at Patersons Stadium
R21, 2011, Carlton 16.19 (115) d Fremantle 12.13 (85) at Patersons Stadium
R5, 2012, Carlton 10.5 (65) d Fremantle 7.15 (57) at Patersons Stadium
Last time they met – round 5, 2012 – Patersons Stadium
FREMANTLE 1.2 3.9 4.10 7.15 (57)
CARLTON 2.1 6.2 9.4 10.5 (65)
GOALS FREMANTLE: Hill, Mayne, Ballantyne, Clarke, Pavlich, Crowley, McPharlin
GOALS CARLTON: Garlett 2, Walker 2, Robinson 2, Hampson, Waite, Betts, Simpson
SUB: Lachie Neale replaced Jack Anthony in the third quarter
REPORTS: Nil
UMPIRES: Margetts, Farmer, Dalgleish
OFFICIAL CROWD: 38,847
The eight-point losing margin flattered Freo as Friday night footy hit Patersons Stadium. Carlton led by as much as 30 points late in the third term, but Freo almost undid all the Blues’ hard work with three quick goals in the final quarter. Had the home side kicked better than the 2.7 it registered in the second quarter, the final outcome could have been different. In the end, Freo’s inaccuracy, married with the eight goals Carlton kicked from turnovers and Aaron Sandilands’ absence through injury, was too high a hurdle to get over. Stephen Hill (19 disposals and five clearances) ran tirelessly all night, and Ryan Crowley shutdown dual Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd, who only had 17 disposals despite averaging 33 possessions a game at Patersons as a Blue against Freo. Nat Fyfe, shoulder heavily strapped, played through visible pain, in what turned out to be an injury that sidelined him until round 18 that season.
FREO FACT: Freo played back-to-back Friday night games for the first time since rounds 9 and 10 in 2007.
ROSS LYON: “When we had ascendency and dominated the second quarter, to kick 2.7 against what everybody believes to be a top-four team ... you need to put scoreboard pressure on.”
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.
And make sure you follow the hash tags #AFLBluesFreo and #GoFreo
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 – Matthew Pavlich is out for one more game through suspension and Luke McPharlin is still a week or two away. Hayden Ballantyne has been declared a certain starter after missing two games with a hamstring injury.
Carlton – The Blues will hope to regain key forward Jarrad Waite, who has missed the past three games because of injury. Apart from him, Carlton has most of its best players available.
Possible line-ups - Freo mentioned first in bold
| F: | H Ballantyne | Z Clarke | M Walters |
| B: | D Armfield | M Jamison | Z Tuohy |
| HF: | M de Boer | C Mayne | N Fyfe |
| HB: | A Walker | M Watson | H Scotland |
| C: | S Hill | D Mundy | T Mzungu |
| C: | A Carrazzo | B McLean | B Gibbs |
| HB: | N Suban | M Johnson | G Ibbotson |
| HF: | C Yarran | S Rowe | K Simpson |
| B: | L Spurr | Z Dawson | P Duffield |
| F: | J Garlett | L Henderson | E Betts |
| Ruck: | A Sandilands | M Barlow | R Crowley |
| Ruck: | M Kreuzer | C Judd | M Murphy |
| INT from: | J Hannath, C Sutcliffe, A Silvagni, M Taberner, C Pearce, T Sheridan | ||
| INT from: | E Curnow, M Robinson, J Cachia, K Lucas, J Waite |
X Factors
Fremantle – Hayden Ballantyne: With both sides possessing an array of small forward wizardry on Saturday night, the return of the feisty Ballantyne will just add to the spectacle. If not for his goal kicking ability, Freo will warmly welcome back Ballantyne’s effort and will to win.
Carlton – Lachie Henderson: In the absence of key Carlton forward Jarrad Waite, Henderson has stepped up to kick 11.5 in three weeks since moving from defence. He’ll need to keep his good form going, particularly if Waite doesn’t come up.
Key Match-ups
Aaron Sandilands v Matthew Kreuzer: Sandilands has the clear height advantage and should win the hitouts, but Kreuzer is as mobile as ruckmen come and could be better around the ground. Zac Clarke will be called upon to help ‘Sandi’ in this area.
Ryan Crowley v Marc Murphy: Crowley tagged Judd the last time the two sides met, but that was in round 5, 2012, and the Carlton champion has not been at his best this season. Neither has Murphy, but the Blues’ skipper remains a major danger in midfield and appears the likely candidate for the tag.
Zac Dawson v Lachie Henderson: Dawson continues to do a tremendous job nullifying the opposition’s best key forwards in Luke McPharlin’s absence. The Freo defender could get the in-form Henderson on Saturday night, but he remains a chance of playing on Jarrad Waite if the Blues’ forward returns.
Lee Spurr v Jeff Garlett: Carlton’s fleet-footed small forward line is led by the sublime talents of Garlett, who has booted 37 goals this season to be the club’s leading scorer. Spurr usually gets the dangerous smalls and will be asked to play another big role on Saturday night.
Matt de Boer v Andrew Walker: Walker has been sensational as a distributor off the Carlton half-back line this year. De Boer is often asked to play defensive roles up forward, and there’s none tougher in football right now than Walker.
Dream Team
Fremantle: Aaron Sandilands has been well down in fantasy scoring since returning to the side, but he averaged 107 over his past three against Carlton and could return to form on Saturday night.
Carlton: Bryce Gibbs likes playing Freo, averaging 112.8 per game in his past four games against them.
Keys to victory
Freo will be happy if: Its physical style overpowers the Blues and the club’s excellent defence limits the influence of the dangerous small forwards in Carlton’s arsenal.
Carlton will be happy if: It kicks straighter at goals than it did last week against Gold Coast. The Blues could have buried the Suns, but for an inaccurate 16.24.
From afl.com.au
The Six Points
1. When the two sides last clashed – in round five last year at Patersons Stadium – Carlton won a low-scoring contest by eight points and Kade Simpson (the fourth-ranked Blue at No. 69 in the Official AFL Player Ratings) starred with 35 possessions and 13 marks.
2. The Blues have won the past two contests between the sides but since 2009 it’s three wins apiece.
3. This will be just their fourth meeting at Etihad Stadium and the Dockers hold a 2-1 advantage. They have all been close encounters, decided by 18, nine and nine points.
4. Both have good recent records at Etihad Stadium - Freo has won its past four games there, while Carlton has won four of its past five.
5. Fremantle is the most miserly team in the AFL, conceding just 70 points a game, compared to Carlton’s 87.
6. Carlton is ranked equal-second in contested possessions; Fremantle is 11th.
Summary
A massive game for both clubs, for differing reasons, with Fremantle determined to push for a spot top four and Carlton desperate to stay in touch with the top eight. Carlton is gunning for its first win over a side in the top seven and, after coming so close on numerous occasions, will be hell-bent on achieving this mini-milestone. But it looms as an extraordinarily difficult assignment against arguably the best defensive unit in the AFL. Despite the fast track at Etihad Stadium, a tough, low-scoring affair beckons. The winner has much to gain, while the loser will be under pressure to achieve their aim.
