Head to head: Fremantle 8 wins, Collingwood 12 wins
Last time: Collingwood 26.13 (169) d Fremantle 13.7 (85), round 13, 2009 at the MCG
Collingwood announced itself as a genuine top-four contender last season not only with its fifth straight win, but by the magnitude of its annihilation of Fremantle last season.
After Freo lost Matthew Pavlich to a calf injury in the first term, the Pies gradually got on top despite the best efforts of Aaron Sandilands (44 hit-outs, 25 possessions) and Paul Hasleby (33 touches).
Dane Swan (41 disposals) and Alan Didak (39) dominated as the Pies put the foot down in the final term, the 10-goal quarter turning a 34-point lead into a massive 84-point win.
MISSING IN ACTION
Fremantle
Des Headland (knee) - 8 weeks
Garrick Ibbotson (shoulder) - 2-4 weeks
Nick Suban (ankle) - test
LAST WEEK
Fremantle 15.23 (113) d Brisbane Lions 15.10 (100) at the Gabba
Fremantle didn’t have its kicking boots on, but it didn’t matter as the visitors won their first-ever match at the Gabba, outlasting a fast-finishing home side to continue their fairytale turnaround from last season. Stars Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands were again supreme, while young gun Stephen Hill showed just what a star in the making he is by using his pace to set up numerous Freo attacks. Defender Chris Tarrant underlined his All-Australian prospects with a great display on Jonathan Brown as Freo set up arguably the biggest home and away clash of the season with the Pies.
Leading goalkicker - Matthew Pavlich (27)
Leading ballwinner - Michael Barlow (196)
DANGER MAN
In the two teams’ only meeting last season, Fremantle giant Aaron Sandilands had 44 hit-outs, an equal-season high 25 possessions and booted 1.1. With the big man becoming more and more adept going forward, he looms as a key ingredient in a Freo win.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
For Collingwood, its burgeoning premiership credentials and reputation as the best travelling team in the country.
For Fremantle, its first-ever win at the Gabba was a mighty big notch on the belt, but to follow that up with a win over a team many think can go all the way in 2010 would speak volumes for its own legitimacy as a contender this season. Another solid performance may silence whatever doubters remain.
HOW’S STAT?
Fremantle young gun Stephen Hill had an equal-game high nine inside-50s in his team’s win over the Brisbane Lions last weekend. On the wide open spaces of Subiaco, the Magpies will need to watch the raking left-footer closely.
WHAT THE OPPOSITION SAYS
“We’ve had a couple of sniffer dogs at the airport and they tell me that two assistant coaches for Collingwood are here trying to get some research on us.
“They’re doing their intelligence, just like we are. I think you’ll find that that’s a big part of their work in progress. It’d be fair to say that we do a fair bit of it ourselves.”
- Fremantle coach Mark Harvey
WHAT THE PIES SAY
“He (Aaron Sandilands) is probably the main player in their side, because he obviously always gets his hand to the ball. [Darren] Jolly’s a big boy, he’s strong and he can wrestle with him and we’ve got other blokes who can jump over the top of him. Because he [Sandilands] is so dominant, they’ll be thinking, ‘well what are we going to do, and what plans do we have in place for him?’
“Hopefully we’ve done our homework and worked out how to combat that whether we win or lose the tap.”
- Collingwood opposition coach Paul Hudson on Aaron Sandilands
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
