FREMANTLE defender Adam McPhee won't have the job of minding Taylor Walker or Kurt Tippett in Friday night's semi-final at AAMI Stadium, but he could hold the key to limiting the powerful Adelaide duo's influence.
McPhee has been one of the unheralded heroes in Fremantle's drive into September and his value was underlined in an outstanding performance against Geelong last Saturday night.
Against the Crows he shapes as a crucial cog in Fremantle's back six, which will again be without injured All Australian nominee Luke McPharlin.
Key defenders Zac Dawson and Alex Silvagni will line up on Walker and Tippett, but they will be part of a back six that works together as well as any in the competition.
With Fremantle conceding the second fewest points this season, McPhee has been a key component, becoming a specialist third man up in marking contests while playing on opposition small forwards and resting midfielders.
"Playing on one of the smaller opposition players allows Adam to fly across and put a spoil in and help the taller defenders," teammate Michael Johnson told AFL.com.au.
"It's all about reading the play, playing smart football and zoning off your player. He does it really well.
"He loves the challenge and I know he puts a lot into preparing for the opposition each week.
"He's had a fantastic year and passed on a lot of knowledge to our young players, so it's good to see him in some good form."
Johnson has also enjoyed an outstanding season, settling into a permanent backline role and ranking No.1 at the club for kicks and rebound 50s.
He said having a settled backline group had allowed the defenders to build significant chemistry this season.
Fremantle's backline coach Todd Curley quit the club on the eve of round one this season, thrusting development coach Roger Hayden into an expanded role.
Johnson said his good friend, who retired at the end of the 2011 season after 128 games, had flourished in the role, with coach Ross Lyon also involved more heavily with the defenders.
"This year was all about learning on the job for Roger, but he's been pushed in the deep end with Todd leaving," Johnson said.
"He's done a great job for the team and if he needs help from the senior guys we're here to help him.
"It's been a bit different taking orders from a good mate of mine, but that's his job and if he orders me to do something, he's my boss and I'm happy to do it.
"He's shown me vision where I should have gone harder or could have defended a bit better and that's his job, he's there to make me a better player."
Johnson reflected on the players' first meeting with Lyon late last year when the new coach "put the whole group on notice".
He said physical transformations in Ryan Crowley and Clancee Pearce had kick-started a wave of improvement across the squad.
"The first day back at pre-season you saw a lot of guys buy into the way we want to play and be known," he said.
"After seeing those guys do their bit for the team, you saw other changes through the season.
"It's things like that that show you everyone is buying in."
Nathan Schmook covers Fremantle news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan
