Road trips from Melbourne down the Princes Highway to play at the ‘Cattery’ have, more often than not, resulted in some hefty defeats to sides wearing purple.
Just to add to the ominous historical statistics, the Cats have won 43 of their past 45 games at the ground.
So is Fremantle up against it on Saturday, when it takes on the second-placed Cats in fortress Geelong?
Freo fans should be able to answer that one for you.
One-and-a-half seasons with Ross Lyon, and they, like every player on the list, know the past is irrelevant under a Ross regime, so you may as well delete the first four sentences of this article.
“The methods we’ve employed since Ross Lyon has arrived is anywhere, anytime,” stand-in captain Luke McPharlin said to the media on Tuesday.
That mantra has ridden shotgun on every away trip Fremantle has gone on since the start of 2012.
“We have been pleased with our away record this year, and we like to think we can approach any game at any stadium with the same mentality and focus, and if we bring that competiveness that we’ve brought thus far, it will hopefully stand us in good stead,” McPharlin added.
The All Australian defender reiterated that playing the Cats at Simonds Stadium held no fears whatsoever for this Fremantle team.
“As far as I’m aware, it’s the same ground as any other, albeit it’s a bit colder down in Geelong,” he said.
“We look forward to that challenge.
“I think the dimensions are similar to Patersons Stadium, so we’ll give it our best effort.”
