FREMANTLE and the Western Bulldogs will go into their elimination final at Optus Stadium as selected.

The Dockers and Bulldogs opted against late changes, with Bailey Banfield and Robbie McComb named the respective medi-subs.

DOCKERS v BULLDOGS Follow it LIVE

While Fremantle is playing its first final since 2015, the Bulldogs are featuring at the business end of the season for the fourth straight year.

Fremantle v Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium, 6.10pm AWST

NO LATE CHANGES

MEDICAL SUBS
Fremantle: Bailey Banfield
Western Bulldogs: Robbie McComb

SUMMARY

After a nerve-wracking final round when both Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs had one eye on other results as much as their own, the two sides will meet for the second time in less than a month on Saturday night. Collingwood's stirring comeback win over Carlton in round 23 not only saw the Bulldogs scrape into eighth position, it cost Freo a top-four spot and the all-important double chance. The Bulldogs, by their own admission, have been well below their best this season, but they will present a stern test for the young Dockers, who are preparing for their first finals campaign since 2015. Each club has been rocked by a late hamstring injury this week, with Fremantle's Nat Fyfe and Bulldogs star Tom Liberatore ruled out due to injury, while Bailey Smith is expected to play for the Dogs despite training away from the main group in recent days.

Where and when: Optus Stadium, Saturday September 3, 6.10pm AWST

WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR? 

Round 21: Western Bulldogs 11.12 (78) lost to Fremantle 14.11 (95) at Marvel Stadium

Fremantle locked in its first finals berth in seven years and almost ended the Doggies' season with a stirring win away from home on August 6. The star of the victory was wantaway forward Rory Lobb (more on him later) who nailed four set shots from outside 50 as the Dockers led at every change to win by 17 points. Freo defenders Luke Ryan and Jordan Clark also put in strong performances, taking a combined 25 marks to go with 58 disposals, while Josh Dunkley and Bailey Smith won plenty of the footy for the Dogs in midfield.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Fremantle
The rise of Will Brodie this season has been stunning and he has claims as the AFL's most improved player. The former Sun will face one of his biggest tests in a terrific season on Saturday night when he comes up against the Bulldogs' midfield stars, who collectively rank No.1 in the AFL for clearance differential (+8.2). Brodie (5.7 clearances a game this season) is the Dockers' big body in the middle and the player they will rely on to go head-to-head with Tom Liberatore (7.2) or Jack Macrae (6.5). There will be support though. Don't expect young midfielder Caleb Serong (5.4) to take a backward step at stoppages after a terrific third season, while Leigh Matthews Trophy winner Andrew Brayshaw should relish the midfield battle in his first final. Veteran David Mundy should never be underestimated in a big game.

Western Bulldogs
It's staggering to think a three-game player can be such a major talking point, but such has been the impact Dogs rookie Sam Darcy has made early in his career. The teenager debuted against the Dockers a month ago and having impressed in a defensive role, he was equally damaging up forward against Hawthorn in round 23, booting two crucial goals and taking several impressive contested marks. Whether he stays forward on Saturday night against Fremantle's strong backline or returns to defence to help quell Freo's unsettled forward set-up will be a major factor in how both teams line up.

THE STATS THAT MATTER

Fremantle
Over the last month of the home and away season, the Dockers were ranked last in the competition for generating scores from kick-ins, though they have been the hardest to score against from that source. They are also ranked No.1 defensively for conceding a score from inside 50s (38.1 per cent).

Western Bulldogs
If the Dogs win the ball out of the middle, look out. They are ranked No.1 in the League for scores from centre bounce clearances over the last four rounds, and also top of the tree for scores from forward-half stoppages (19.6 points per game).

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR… 

Fremantle
In a twist of fate, Rory Lobb's next game at AFL level beyond this weekend could well be for the team he'll face at Optus Stadium on Saturday night. Lobb could potentially depart the Dockers at the end of the season, with the Bulldogs looming as his likely destination, meaning a Fremantle loss on Saturday would spell the end of his career in the west. But, based on recent form, Lobb looms as the man most likely to tip the game in his current side's favour. The 29-year-old has enjoyed a career-best season and booted four crucial goals against the Bulldogs in Freo's win a month ago, all from booming set shots from outside 50, and the likely absence of Matt Taberner this week will put even more focus on Lobb's role in Fremantle's forward line. 

Western Bulldogs
A Perth boy who once played for Fremantle's feeder team, Peel Thunder, Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton will play his 100th AFL game in front of family and friends this weekend. Naughton will again be his side's main target up forward, although the recent emergence of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Darcy could help take the pressure off the high-flying 22-year-old. He'll also be buoyed by his meeting with the Dockers a month ago, when he kicked three crucial goals and was one of the Bulldogs' best in their 17-point loss, while he took a staggering 13 marks against Fremantle at Optus Stadium last year, although his inaccurate kicking (1.5) cost him a big bag of goals on that occasion. He won't have it all his own way, though, in a likely match-up with Alex Pearce and Fremantle's settled defensive set-up.

PREDICTION

Fremantle by 23 points. The match-up between the worst defence of the eight finals teams (the Bulldogs) against the second-best defence in the League (Fremantle) makes this one difficult to predict. The Bulldogs have struggled to get out of second gear all season, but their recent finals experience does give them a slight edge over a young Fremantle side that hasn't tasted September action since 2015. But on recent form, it's hard to tip against the Dockers, particularly at home. With their strong midfield and solid defence, they look set to be too strong for a Dogs side that is packed with star power but has struggled to find their best all season.

FREMANTLE has returned to September in stirring style, mounting an incredible comeback against the Western Bulldogs to win by 13 points and advance to a semi-final against Collingwood next Saturday night. 

Ambushed by the Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in their first final for seven years, the Dockers were forced to come from 41 points down early in the second quarter to beat last year's Grand Finalists 11.7 (73) to 8.12 (60). 

DOCKERS v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats

The win was confirmation that the young Dockers have arrived as a team to be reckoned with and locked in the club's fifth semi-final appearance in its history, with an MCG date with destiny awaiting. 

For the Bulldogs, who conceded 11 of the last 13 goals of the game, it marked their third elimination final exit in the past four seasons and mirrored their nightmare second half in last year's Optus Stadium Grand Final.  

It was a victory full of character for the Dockers, who had only four players with finals experience and looked down and out early in the second quarter. 

FREO FULL OF BELIEF MCG and Magpies hold no fear for flying Dockers

They dug in, however, and played some of the most desperate football of their breakout season to extend champion midfielder David Mundy's career by at least another week. 

Young midfielder Caleb Serong was enormous in his first final, finishing with a team-high 33 disposals (16 contested) and game-high 10 clearances to help change the tide when it mattered. 

Midfield leader Andrew Brayshaw (32 and six inside 50s) also held his nerve to get the game back on Fremantle's terms, while the back six was resolute and didn't give an inch in the second half.

FIVE TALKING POINTS Freo frenzy gives fans an unforgettable night

Veteran Michael Walters stood up in big moments to boot a game-high three goals, while Jye Amiss proved an inspired selection in just his second game. 

The 19-year-old key forward missed a simple opportunity early on, but then recovered to prove himself in two clutch moments that were telling, including a final-quarter goal that levelled scores. 

Exciting forward Michael Frederick provided one of the moments of the match with a chase down on Ed Richards that set up Walters' third goal and gave the Dockers breathing room, before Nathan O'Driscoll sealed the win with a stunning set shot from the boundary. 

Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli set the tone for his team with a superb first quarter, marking and playing on from 45m to kick the opener after just two minutes and launch the ambush. 

If that didn't suck the air out of the frenzied Optus Stadium crowd, the next 30 minutes would as the Bulldogs attacked the contest with a ferocity that rattled the young Dockers.  

They played the game almost exclusively in their half as Freo went more than 18 minutes without a forward entry, rattling on four more goals, including another 50m gem from Bontempelli on the run. 

MORE TRAUMA Grand Final pain still lingers as another Perth collapse bites Dogs

Their 34-point lead at the first break could have been greater after several missed opportunities, but when Josh Dunkley snapped out of a stoppage to extend the lead to a game-high 41 points, it didn't look like their wastefulness would matter. 

The most deflating moment for Fremantle came when Amiss took a contested mark 15m from goal but missed his set shot directly in front after a nervous approach. 

It took until the 20-minute mark for Walters to kick Freo's first goal, but it sparked the team to life. 

Brayshaw kicked a running goal 10 seconds after the re-start from 50m before Serong kept the roll going with a left-foot snap out of stoppage. 

Amiss had his moment for redemption after the half-time siren and delivered, converting his set shot after taking an impressive contested mark and giving the Dockers all the momentum at the main break, with the margin cut to just 15 points. 

The Bulldogs still had the edge in contested ball (87-74), tackles (48-29) and inside 50s (31-26), but the Dockers lifted in all aspects after the main break. 

Their pressure all over the ground went to a new level and Rory Lobb started to look dangerous as their ball movement gathered pace, with the key target converting from 40m. 

Walters was also electric and had another big moment when he tapped to himself and snapped accurately on his right foot, before Lobb again marked inside 50 and kicked accurately from a tight angle. 

At that point the Dockers had booted seven of the last eight goals but still trailed by four points, entering the final quarter with work to do.   

With their largest ever home crowd behind them, they continued gathering momentum to the end and secured a famous comeback win for the club with four goals to one in the final term. 

FREMANTLE                                0.1   4.3   7.5   11.7 (73)
WESTERN BULLDOGS             5.5   6.6   7.11   8.12 (60) 

GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 3, Lobb 2, Amiss 2, Brayshaw, Serong, Logue, O'Driscoll  
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli 2, Johannisen 2, Darcy, Dunkley, Weightman, R.Smith

BEST 
Fremantle: Serong, Brayshaw, Walters, Young, Pearce, Ryan, Clark, Darcy 
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Macrae, Gardner, Dunkley, Treloar, Daniel, McLean 

INJURIES
Fremantle: O'Driscoll (left ankle) 
Western Bulldogs: Johannisen (hamstring) 

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Bailey Banfield (unused)
Western Bulldogs: Robbie McComb (replaced Jason Johannisen in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 58,982 at Optus Stadium