The last time Fremantle played Richmond, in round 11 at the MCG, Ross Lyon’s men hit their opponents with a barrage of pressure that forced the Tigers into error.

Freo had a staggering 118 tackles - 34 more than Richmond. Matt de Boer led the way with 13.

The brilliant Tigers’ midfield, while still getting its hands on the ball, was rendered largely ineffective, as the disposal efficiency numbers will tell you:

Trent Cotchin - 30 disposals at 60 per cent efficiency
Brett Deledio - 15 at 60 per cent
Shaun Grigg - 24 at 50 per cent
Dustin Martin - 20 at 55 per cent

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has already stated in the media this week that his side’s best chance of victory is to keep Saturday’s contest at Patersons Stadium as uncontested as possible.

With this in mind, Freo assistant Mark Stone said the team knew what it had to do to ensure the game was played on its own terms.

“Apply pressure,” he said.

“Make the contested area an area we are strong in. There is no point making it a contested game and losing it. We’ve got to be really good.

“We’ve got to apply pressure, come forward at them and make sure every possession they get is under pressure.”

Stone said Fremantle had to get the ball inside its attacking 50 and then lock it in there.

“The Tigers are very good at rebounding out of their back 50 and from half-back, so that’s one area that’s very critical to us, making sure they don’t get free movement out of the back half,” he said.

Stone admitted that the wet conditions the two sides faced in the round 11 MCG encounter favoured Freo’s style and helped it clamp on as many tackles as it did.

“It’s going to be harder to have as many,” he said.

“118 is a little bit over the top in terms of the standard in an AFL game but we hope to be up in the high numbers, around 80 or 90.

“We have to put real good pressure on and make them feel that they’re in a game where they have no space.”