FOUR-TIME All Australian ruckman Aaron Sandilands says the growing trend of teams using a third-man up at stoppages is helping him rather than diluting his influence.
Sandilands is one of the most dominant ruckmen in the competition, averaging 42.6 hit-outs a week and racking up 50 hit-outs or more four times this season.
In his last three matches, Sandilands has twice broken the league record for hit-outs in games and set a new hit-outs to advantage record.
The third-man up at stoppages has become a tactic that was designed, in part, to overcome the dominance of ruckmen like Sandilands in games.
But Sandilands' teammates Nat Fyfe and David Mundy are ranked in the top four players in the AFL for 'third-man-up' hit-outs this season.
Sandilands told AFL.com.au that he had no issue with the tactic, adding that Fyfe and Mundy help him on a weekly basis.
"It's within the rules that you're allowed to have someone come third-man-up," Sandilands said.
"It's a tactic that some clubs use and we even use it ourselves.
"They're both pretty tall guys, so if they can jump and get a clean hand to it and hit it to one of our mids, it's an advantage to us. It's one of the reasons we use it.
"It gives me a bit of a helping hand at times knowing that you've got those guys there when you are a bit fatigued and tired. It can come in handy."
The Dockers have significantly improved their clearance work this season.
Fremantle has vaulted from eighth in the AFL for clearances per game in 2014 to second this season, and have also jumped from seventh to second for scoring differential from clearances.
Sandilands said it was an area the Dockers worked hard on over the summer.
"I think it's something we've improved on this year, something we've needed to from previous years," Sandilands said.
"We've got a pretty tight midfield group at the moment and we've got a lot of guys that can come through and play a role, and we've been pretty consistent in terms of numbers and scores."
Sandilands has been a guiding hand for some of the young ruckman on Fremantle's list. The 32-year-old signed a one-year contract extension earlier this month to ensure he plays on in 2016, but the development of Zac Clarke and Jack Hannath is important for the Dockers' future prospects.
Clarke was dropped for the round 11 clash with Gold Coast, granting Hannath just his 16th game in the past three seasons.
Sandilands said clubs need to be patient with young ruckmen.
"It does take a bit of time for bigger guys to develop into their body, and it is pretty physical playing in the ruck," Sandilands said.
"So getting used to week-in, week-out battering up against someone else, it does take its toll.
"But we've got guys like Simon Eastaugh, our ruck coach, and he guides you in the right direction. The quicker you learn and the stronger you get, the earlier you will improve."
