WHERE AND WHEN: Patersons Stadium, Saturday June 23, 5.40pm
LAST TIME: Fremantle 15.8 (98) d Essendon 9.10 (64), round 12, 2011 at Patersons Stadium
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Fremantle might have enjoyed carrying some momentum over from its impressive round 11 win over Richmond, but last week's bye was also timely as the club came to terms with injuries to key players Aaron Sandilands (foot) and Zac Dawson (knee). The club's depth will be tested against an Essendon team that nearly completed a miracle comeback against the Sydney Swans in round 11 before also enjoying a week off.
THE FOUR POINTS
FREMANTLE
1. Did Fremantle turn the corner with a significant win over Richmond in round 11? Three straight losses between rounds eight and 10 had some drawing the curtains on Fremantle's season, but the club is still in the finals mix and could leapfrog St Kilda, Carlton and the Tigers and snatch eighth spot at the end of the round if it beats Essendon on Saturday night. If it can survive a difficult fortnight, the draw opens up for Ross Lyon's team and the "ugly Docklings" could be a different proposition in the second half of the year.
2. Ruckman Jon Griffin will have an extended run as Fremantle's No. 1 big man as Aaron Sandilands recovers from another case of turf toe. It is a golden chance for the former Adelaide ruckman to prove himself after battling to earn games alongside his star teammate. Fremantle is likely to give Griffin support, with Zac Clarke and Kepler Bradley competing for one spot in the forward line, where they can pinch-hit in the ruck. It will be interesting to see how the midfield performs at stoppages after winning the clearances marginally (45-44) against Richmond.
3. Does Ross Lyon send run-with specialist Ryan Crowley to clearance gun Jobe Watson or hard-running ball-magnet Brent Stanton? When the Bombers have lost this season, Stanton has been well held, averaging 18 disposals. He has been a key player in their eight wins, however, averaging almost 31 touches. On the long Patersons Stadium wings, he shapes as a player Fremantle needs to stop.
4. Luke McPharlin can be considered unlucky to have never won a club champion award or All Australian honours in a superb career with Fremantle, but he will receive due recognition when he plays his 200th game on Saturday night. The ultra consistent key defender will be crucial in the absence of Zac Dawson who has been a strong contributor this season but will miss with a knee injury. Alex Silvagni, who has played one game this season, shapes as a likely replacement for Dawson.
ESSENDON
1. The Bombers will need to turn around their form in Perth if they are any hope to knock off Fremantle. Essendon has won only six of 27 games at Patersons Stadium and has lost 14 of its last 16 at the venue. The last time it won there was in 2008, Matthew Knights' first season in charge of the club as coach. There has been significant change at Essendon since then, but it will need to perform considerably better away on this trip if it is to resurrect its mid-season form slip.
2. What to do with Essendon's misfiring forward line? There's two issues with the Bombers' attack at the moment. One is converting shots at goal: they are kicking at less than 50 per cent efficiency (160 goals for the season and 171 behinds). The other is the system. The Bombers seemed seduced by bombing the ball long to tall targets Michael Hurley, Patrick Ryder and Stewart Crameri against the Swans in round 11, and it didn't work. Fremantle will be keen to close down space and force them to use that tactic again.
3. He might not get the praise of some of his more high-profile teammates, but Ben Howlett plays an important role in Essendon's line-up and this week plays his 50th game. The midfielder's hard-nosed and tenacious approach fits perfectly within coach James Hird's contested brand of football. This year he has averaged 20 disposals and seven tackles a game, but it is Howlett's durability which might be his best trait. He has played 42 consecutive games to get to his first milestone, the best of any current streak at the club.
4. Who plays on Matthew Pavlich? Pavlich has a very good record against Essendon, averaging 20 disposals a game in 17 meetings. He has also booted 39 goals against the Bombers, and was best on ground in his side's win over Richmond in round 11. Cale Hooker appears best placed to play on Pavlich when he is stationed forward, but someone like Heath Hocking might be required to run with Pavlich if he moves through the midfield.
AFL.com.au prediction: Fremantle by six points
The views in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
