Read about some of the key stats and stories heading into Sunday’s game against Richmond at the MCG. 

Ladder
Richmond: 5-1, 141.6% (1st)
Freo: 3-3, 101.8 (12th)

Freo’s G-force
Since 2014, every game between Fremantle and Richmond has been won by the away team, with Fremantle heading to Melbourne hoping to keep their good run of form alive at the MCG.
Fremantle have won four of their past five games at the ground.

Ice-man Mundy
Freo’s two recent wins against Richmond at the ‘G have been thrillers orchestrated by David Mundy. In 2017, Mundy kicked a goal after the siren as Freo prevailed by two points, while a last-minute goal in 2015 sunk the Tigers by four points.

Sandi stands tall
Aaron Sandilands is once again showing he’s a premier ruck in the competition, sitting second in the AFL for hitouts and hitouts-to-advantage this season.
Only Melbourne’s Max Gawn has more than Sandilands in both categories, with Sandilands averaging 40.5 hitouts and 12.3 hitouts-to-advantage per game.
Richmond’s lead ruckman Tony Nankervis is averaging 23 hitouts per game with 7.2 hitouts to advantage.

Spoiler alert
Four-time All Australian defender Alex Rance is set to make life difficult for Freo’s forwards. Rance has the sixth-most spoils in the league this season (7.8 per game) and the third-most intercept marks (3.7 per game).
Joel Hamling leads Freo in spoils with 6.2 per game and Luke Ryan is Freo’s lead interceptor with 3 per game. 

Efficient Richmond
Richmond don’t mess around when moving the ball forward. The Tigers lead the league in inside 50s despite having the fewest marks in the competition and the second fewest kicks.
When the Tigers do move the ball, they opt for handballs or long kicks directly forward, with Richmond ninth for handballs and fourth for long kicks.
Fremantle is mid-table in most disposal metrics, sitting eighth for kicks, seventh for handballs and fourth for marks.

Star delivery
While Richmond leads the league for inside 50s averaging 59.2 per game, Fremantle is sixth averaging 54 per game.
The game’s best players are the ones most responsible for these deliveries, with Dustin Martin equal first in the league for inside 50s with 5.8 per game while Nat Fyfe leads Freo with 4.8 per game. 

Making it count
Fremantle and Richmond are among the most accurate teams in front of goal in 2018. Richmond is third with a set shot accuracy of 60.3 per cent while Freo isn’t far behind in fourth spot, with an accuracy of 59.8 per cent.

Heatmap of the week
With 81 points against the Eagles, Fremantle posted the highest score by a losing team in round six.
That said, there’s a distinct pattern between Freo’s wins and losses in 2018, with Freo scoring freely - and usually winning - when there is a connection between the midfield and forward line.
From three wins, Fremantle has averaged 103.3 points per game and 15.7 marks inside 50.
From three losses, Freo has averaged 64 points per game and 7.3 marks inside 50.
The below heatmaps may provide an insight. In wins, Freo’s deliveries inside 50 concentrate on the left and right pockets where forwards are most likely to mark on the lead.
In losses, Freo’s entries are concentrated deep in the forward 50, where long kicks are more likely to be spoiled or intercepted by opposition defenders. 


Fremantle’s inside 50 deliveries in wins (left) and losses (right)
SOURCE: Champion Data