Fremantle have had problems getting their AFL finals campaign off the ground, and an awesome looking Sydney side are looking to increase their woes on the ground in Saturday’s qualifying final at ANZ Stadium.
The Swans have named their strongest possible lineup, though a question mark remains over the fitness of key defender Heath Grundy, who left training early on Thursday with a suspected calf problem.
If Grundy plays, Sydney’s nominated 22 will include 16 premiership winners and a multitude of attacking weapons.
A fatalist might suggest the stars are aligning against losing 2013 grand finalist Fremantle.
The cancellation of their flight on Thursday means the Dockers won’t get to Sydney until late Friday afternoon, though Fremantle officials are adamant it won’t disrupt their preparations.
Already without injured key defenders Michael Johnson and Luke McPharlin, they face a four-pronged forward monster in Lance Franklin, Kurt Tippett, Adam Goodes and Sam Reid, though it’s unlikely all of them will simultaneously line up in Sydney’s forward 50.
Freo’s prospects likely hinge on their ability to cut the supply to Sydney’s forward guns.
“It’s won and lost in the midfield, so that will be our aim on the weekend.” Fremantle utility Tendai Mzungu said.
The match is expected to be a brutal battle between the teams with the two best defensive records in the competition.
Fremantle’s best chance will be to replicate the relentless first-half pressure that stunned the Swans in last year’s preliminary final in Perth, where the Dockers triumphed by 25 points.
“It was a fierce battle, it was the biggest pressure I’ve ever felt on an AFL field,” Sydney defender Dane Rampe told AAP.
“That’s the good thing what finals are about, those hard-fought four-quarter grinds where no team gives an inch.”
The return from knee soreness of Coleman medal winner Franklin completes Sydney’s formidable forward arsenal, but Fremantle also have plenty of firepower.
They boast arguably the best small forward combination in the competition in Michael Walters and Hayden Ballantyne.
Matthew Pavlich remains a strong tall forward presence and midfielder Nat Fyfe, who returns from suspension, always seems to reserve his best for the Swans.
The recent return from a long-term injury of Walters has helped the Dockers post significantly higher scores.
In 16 matches without Walters, Freo scored over 100 points on just four occasions, but have broken the century barrier in each of the three matches since he returned.
“They’ve really hit their straps the last three or four weeks, they’ve kicked some big scores,’ Rampe said.
“They are hitting form at the right time of the year Freo, so thats why we’ve got to be on our game.”
Fremantle’s only previous game at ANZ Stadium. where Sydney have a 6-1 finals records, was a 35-point preliminary final loss eight years ago.
