For two years in a row Fremantle has upset Melbourne on the road, and now they head to the red centre trying to make it three.
The Demons (7-4, 116.9%) got back on track last week with a comfortable win over St Kilda, but they need to keep winning to remain in the thick of the top-four race.
Meantime, the Dockers (6-4-1, 110.6%) stormed home to draw with Collingwood last Friday and will fancy their chances again against Melbourne, having beaten them in the last two seasons — however, those games were played at the MCG.
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Ginnivan blasted by teammate after goal | 00:44
Simon Goodwin recalled tall forward Daniel Turner in place of the injured Jacob van Rooyen, with crucial intercepting defender Jake Lever (knee) potentially sidelined for an additional three or four games.
Harrison Petty, who was substituted out of last Sunday’s win over St Kilda with an ankle ailment, passed a fitness test to play against the Dockers, who recalled Michael Frederick and Sam Sturt. Justin Longmuir’s match committee on Thursday excluded Matthew Johnson (Managed), Tom Emmett (Omitted).
Sunday afternoon represents Fremantle’s first-ever game in Alice Springs, where Melbourne has won four of its past six matches.
Melbourne is 4-5 at TIO Traeger Park since 2013 (2-1 since 2020).
The match gets underway at 1pm AEST from TIO Traeger Park.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl from 12:30pm AEST.
MATCH UPDATES
There are no late changes for either side. Taj Woewodin (Melbourne) and Corey Wagner (Fremantle) have been named the starting substitutes.
Dees skipper Max Gawn slotted the game’s first major with a floating set shot.
“Far too easy,” Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis said as the Demons devastated the Dockers in transition to notch their second goal.
“(They’re) just not working hard enough through the middle of the ground; the midfielders weren’t accountable.”
However, the tide quickly turned at Traeger Park.
The Dockers got on the board through Josh Treacy, before Michael Walters and Jye Amiss got in on the action to open a five-point Fremantle lead!
Jordan Clark slammed home Freo’s fourth goal of the opening quarter to make it a 12-point buffer, with Lewis noting the Dockers are “looking dangerous in transition”.
“It’s been a very dominant middle part of this quarter,” Lewis added after Josh Treacy kicked Fremantle’s fifth consecutive goal to extend their lead to 18 points. The Dockers took a 17-point advantage into the first change.
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Source Agencies
