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There is no doubt the twilight game in Perth on Saturday evening between Fremantle and Port Adelaide is the game of Round 13 as it will be a season-defining game for both clubs as we head towards the pointy end of the home-and-away matches.
To the victor goes a spot in the eight, with the possibility of rising as high as fifth place, and a one-game clear break on the chasing pack.
To the vanquished, a spot among the chasing pack awaits, with a high possibility that three other teams will join them on 24 points and – depending on the size of the loss – a real risk that they could drop as low as 12th on the ladder, from where it would take a herculean effort to make the eight with as few as nine games remaining.
Port Adelaide has been successful in 19 of the 35 games between the two clubs, and will be hoping they can overcome Fremantle’s home ground advantage and the partisan crowd to snatch victory and improve even further their win-loss ratio.
I am tempted to predict a draw, I consider the two teams that close, and am aware that – apart from Carlton and the Western Bulldogs – no two teams playing this weekend have ever drawn with each other.
A highlight of this game will be Travis Boak playing his 255th game for the Power and thus drawing level with the third highest game player ever for the club, Warren Tredrea. Tredrea played only one AFL game in the club’s first season (1997) but went on to be a legend at the club, playing in their first AFL premiership, captaining the side for three years, winning four best and fairests and leading their goalkicking eight times.
Freo’s Connor Blakely and Port Adelaide’s Sam Powell-Pepper and Karl Amon are all due to play their 50th games.
Carlton’s first win of the 2019 season was against the Western Bulldogs in Round 5, and the Blues will be keen to repeat that 44-point thrashing on Saturday night. Carlton may be inspired by Dale Thomas’ 250th game and Matthew Kreuzer drawing level with South Australian George Bruce, who started his career at Carlton 116 years ago and played in three consecutive grand finals for the Blues from 1906 to 1908
I believe the recently qualified elite players at the Bulldogs (who were all members of the premiership team) will be keen to avenge the surprise loss first time round.
There is very little history of North Melbourne and Greater Western Sydney contests. The two clubs have only met eight times and, on six of those occasions, the Kangaroos have triumphed.
However, the Giants form last week was good, and they will be keen to stay in touch with the top two teams on the premiership table. Tim Taranto will play his 50th game for the Giants.
Congratulations to Ben Cunnington on his 200th game, which makes him equal with current Sydney coach John Longmire, but still one game behind his leader Jack Ziebell.
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