The crucial cogs of AFL's Round 9: Which players need to be the difference makers?
Jeremy Finlayson should be a welcome addition to the Port Adelaide forward line after kicking four goals in the SANFL last week.
Fremantle’s mid-season AFL surge has hit a speed bump, with forward Michael Frederick to serve a one-game club suspension for breaking a team rule on drinking.
The 22-year-old will miss Saturday’s home game against Hawthorn and also not play in the WAFL.
The Dockers announced on Tuesday that Frederick drank alcohol after Sunday’s win over Brisbane and this went against team standards, given they have a six-day break to the Hawthorn game.
Fremantle said the decision was made after consulting the team’s leadership group.
“Michael is remorseful and makes no excuses for his actions,” said Dockers football boss Peter Bell.
“The club is proud of the culture it has built in recent years and that is mainly due to the strong commitment to the trademark that the players and staff adhere to every day.”
He added Fremantle would continue to support Fredericks so he makes better decisions.
“Michael is an outstanding young man who has made an error, but we are really confident that he will learn from this experience,” Bell said.
“We look forward to a demonstration of his commitment to our trademark moving forwards.”
Frederick has played 28 games since his 2020 debut, including 11 this season.
He kicked three goals in the win over the Lions, which left Fremantle third on the ladder with a 9-3 record.
Earlier on Tuesday, Melbourne also suspended premiership key defender Steven May for one game.
May has apologised for an alcohol-fuelled scuffle with teammate Jake Melksham.
The Demons suspended him for drinking while in the AFL’s concussion protocols.
© AAP
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
Jeremy Finlayson should be a welcome addition to the Port Adelaide forward line after kicking four goals in the SANFL last week.
Last, year in the second showdown, Adelaide destroyed Port by 47 points with a staggering 20 marks inside 50 with Tex Walker the main star.
There’s no disputing that Cam Guthrie will be important against Melbourne, given Patrick Dangerfield is set to miss due to injury.
Multicultural round was changed in 2018 showing that the AFL have not been as committed to multiculturalism as they should be.
Collingwood led by a point with minutes to go, Kyle Langford had the chance to be the hero with a set shot, however, he missed, and we saw the first draw of the season.
We’re taking a look at one player from each team that needs to make a difference this week, starting with the ANZAC Day games.