Every story is made up of the basic elements, the Who, What, When, Where and Why.
The outcome of a football game is no different, and here are some of the key factors that could dictate how the story unfolds in Fremantle’s clash with Hawthorn on Saturday.
Who – Those under 184cm
While many football fans love to point to the key position match-up or ruck dual as the biggest influence on a game, potentially the most important players in Saturday’s contest are those under 184cm.
Luke Bruest, Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli kicked 10 goals between them in round seven, while Taylor Duryea, Bradley Hill and Billy Hartung all present difficult matchups with their pace and acceleration.
Freo possess their own talent, with Michael Walters and Hayden Ballantyne providing forward pressure and pushing up into the midfield, while Stephen Hill and Danyle Pearce have broken the lines down the wing consistently in 2016.
Three changes for Hawks clash
Arguably the biggest contest will be between midfield ball magnets Lachie Neale and Sam Mitchell, both of whom are averaging more than 32 disposals a game so far this season.
What - The domino effect of pressure
Pressure will be paramount against Hawthorn on Saturday as they rank highly in efficiency in a number of key areas.
They sit third-lowest for clangers in the AFL, with an average of 48 per game, while they rank third in the league for disposal efficiency with 75 per cent. Their ability to reduce mistakes and use the ball cleanly means the Hawks are often in high percentage scoring situations, which is reflected by their AFL-best 57 per cent goal accuracy.
If Freo can provide constant tackling pressure, these figures should decrease across the board and could greatly affect Saturday’s result.
When – Fourth Quarter
For better or worse, the fourth quarter has been a difference maker for both sides so far in 2016. In the first seven rounds of the year, Hawthorn averaged 4.5 goals in the fourth term, whereas Freo average 2.8 in the final quarter. While the Hawks impressed with nine goals against Richmond to finish the game last week, their two losses so far have partly come as a result of poor finishes, conceding seven goals to Geelong in round one and five against GWS in round six in the final quarter.
Where – Aurora Stadium
The story has been written about Hawthorn’s success at the venue, having won 16 of their past 17 games in Launceston. Freo’s last win at Aurora Stadium came in the infamous “Siren-Gate” game of 2006 against St Kilda. While Freo doesn’t play at the stadium too often, that’s not to say they haven’t got players familiar with the area. Lachie Weller played his junior footy at Freo partner club Burnie Dockers in northwest Tasmania, while Alex Pearce was recruited out of Devonport.
Freo v Hawks: Match Preview
Why – Breaking the hoodoo, blooding the youngsters
Freo haven’t beaten Hawthorn in eight attempts in Tasmania, and the game should provide some handy experience for the young players Freo have put forward so far in 2016. Youngsters Lachie Weller, Alex Pearce, Ethan Hughes and Connor Blakely played against the Giants last week and face another tough challenge with Hawthorn, which should be beneficial for their development.
