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Rosey's 2015 AFL preview: Fremantle

19th March, 2015
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19th March, 2015
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Where to now for Fremantle? A fourth-placed ladder finish, followed by a tired straight sets finals departure with the oldest list in the competition, isn’t the sort of thing that should augur well for contending the next time around.

Many people think that their inglorious finals exit sparked the beginning of the end of the Dockers’ premiership hopes with the current list. Others have too much respect for Ross Lyon to think they’ll drop down much, if at all.

Check out the rest of Rosey’s AFL preview series here.

Some, and not just those with purple in their veins, think that this will be the year Lyon and Fremantle will get that elusive premiership.

Let’s have a look at what sort of side they’ve got to work with.

B: Z.Dawson, L.McPharlin, L.Spurr
HB: P.Duffield, M.Johnson, G.Ibbotson
C: S.Hill, D.Mundy, L.Neale
HF: M.de Boer, C.Mayne, D.Pearce
F: M.Walters, M.Pavlich, H.Ballantyne
Foll: A.Sandilands, N.Fyfe, M.Barlow
Int: Z.Clarke, T.Mzungu C.Pearce, C.Sutcliffe
Em: M.Taberner, H.Crozier, N.Suban

This is a football team that is tough, experienced, and predictable to each other. It’s exactly what Ross Lyon wants. There is also a healthy amount of pure class, which is required to go deep into September.

Nat Fyfe is one of the top handful of players in the AFL. We’ll see exactly where we rank him here at The Roar when our top fifty comes out next week, but it’s high. Very high.

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In the air, on the ground, inside, outside, up forward, down back. What a player he is. Fyfe’s marking ability means he’s never out of the game, even on the rare occasions he’s struggling to have an influence through the middle. Nine times in 2014 he snagged multiple goals.

Fyfe will have contested help at the coalface through the ever-consistent David Mundy and Michael Barlow, who are high level second tier midfielders, just lacking that touch of class that separates the best from the rest.

It will surprise many to learn that lightly-framed Lachie Neale had the third most contested possessions at Fremantle last season. He does have class, and will end 2015 as the Dockers’ second best player. He might already be.

As TomC pointed out in my Gold Coast preview though, I may fall in love with talented young players too easily.

Stephen Hill and Danyle Pearce will bring the outside razzle-dazzle, pushing back when required, but at their most damaging in the forward half setting up scoring opportunities.

Clancee Pearce will get the run-with roles in the likely absence of Ryan Crowley. Tendai Mzungu will also rotate through as a defence-minded midfielder, both from a one-on-one and team perspective.

Aaron Sandilands continues to provide silver service at the stoppages, as he has done for a decade or more.

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Up forward, Matthew Pavlich will be there again, leading from the front as he always does. What a champion he’s been over such a long period.

Chris Mayne has been Pav’s second-in-command inside fifty for a number of years, but is coming off a disappointing season after the standard he set in 2013. He needs to return to his best form. It involves tackling pressure, lead-up marks and goals.

Matt Tabener has been pressing his claims for a regular berth as the second key forward in the pre-season. He can take a strong grab and kick a goal, and will be given his chance to earn and keep a spot in the side.

Michael Walters could be anything, and might be ready to have a career year if injury-free. The feisty Hayden Ballantyne is thankfully becoming more renowned for his outstanding play rather than the sideshow theatrics. He’s one of the most important players in the team.

Defence will once again be the cornerstone of Fremantle, from an all-ground perspective, but the backline will lead the way.

Luke McPharlin, Michael Johnson and Zac Dawson have a wealth of experience with 569 matches between them. They know their roles, and are very good at executing them. McPharlin has to be managed carefully to ensure he’s peaking come finals.

Alex Silvagni is a handy back-up for these three, in much the same way that Matt Spangher is at Hawthorn.

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In broad terms, Lee Spurr will lock down the small forwards, Garrick Ibbotson will use his superior reading of the play to leave his man and intercept opposition forays, and Paul Duffield will be used for his run and carry out of defence.

We all know what game style Fremantle are going to produce this year. We all know what roles each man will play. They are predictable to themselves, as all good sides are. They’re predictable to the opposition too, but still difficult to break down.

Can they score heavily enough to match the fire-power of the good sides when they come up against them? They’re definitely capable, especially if they get a full season from Walters, and Mayne can bounce back to his best.

A top class ruckman, a midfield that combines hardness and exquisite skills, an experienced defence, an attack with both tall and small weapons. It’s a good mix across the ground for the Dockers.

The purple haze will be a force again.

Predicted ladder spread: third – sixth

Predicted finish: fifth

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Rosey’s ladder
5th – Fremantle
6th – Gold Coast
7th – Geelong
8th – Richmond
9th – Essendon
10th – Brisbane
11th – Adelaide
12th – Collingwood
13th – Greater Western Sydney
14th – West Coast
15th – Carlton
16th – Melbourne
17th – Western Bulldogs
18th – St Kilda

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