GWS ready to bust Perth hoodoo in AFL

They’ve just obliterated the defending champions, and now GWS are determined to settle another score – beating Fremantle in Perth.

The Giants are shaping as a premiership smoky after thrashing Hawthorn by 75 points last week.

GWS will start as hot favourites to beat the last-placed Dockers on Saturday night, but they’ll need to get into bogey busting mode if they are to achieve their goal.

Domain Stadium has been somewhat of a graveyard for GWS since their inception, with the fledgling club losing all six of their matches there by an average of 84 points.

Four of those defeats have come against Fremantle, who were well and truly in premiership mode during that period.

But with the Dockers now in a rebuilding phase following their horror 0-6 start to the year, GWS will fancy their chances of finally breaking their Perth duck.

A venue that was once dubbed ‘The House of Pain’ has become easy pickings for Fremantle’s rivals of late.

The Dockers have now lost four straight matches at Domain Stadium – a far cry from recent years when the club won 39 of their 44 matches there.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said regaining his side’s dominance in Perth wasn’t high on his list of priorities.

Instead, he wants his team to return to its ruthless best no matter where they play.

“Good teams, great teams turn every ground they play into a fortress,” Lyon said.

“Hawthorn have got about eight fortresses around the country. So that’s what we’d like to be.

“Great teams – anywhere anytime. That’s what we’ve previously been.”

Former North Melbourne star David King has labelled GWS as the Harlem Globetrotters of the AFL, but Lyon wasn’t willing to buy into the comparison.

“I’m not a Harlem Globetrotter basketball fan,” Lyon said with a smile.

“I’m not here to commentate on commentators.”

Unsurprisingly, GWS have named an unchanged squad following their breakout performance against Hawthorn last week.

Fremantle have made three changes to the side that lost to Adelaide, with ruckman Zac Clarke the most notable axing.

Brady Grey and Darcy Tucker were also dropped, with Garrick Ibbotson, Nick Suban, and Ethan Hughes handed recalls.

Lyon said matching the running power of GWS would be a big challenge for his side.

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