They boast the stingiest defence in the AFL, but Fremantle are confident they can now inflict some major damage up forward as they prepare for the return of star duo Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands.
Sandilands hasn’t played a competitive match since tearing his hamstring in February, while Pavlich played the first three rounds before undergoing surgery on his plantaris tendon.
Fremantle have coped remarkably well without the champion veterans, winning nine and drawing one of their 13 games to sit just percentage adrift of fourth spot.
The lack of genuine marking targets up forward has been Fremantle’s one weakness this season.
But coach Ross Lyon hopes the return of Pavlich and Sandilands for Sunday’s AFL clash with St Kilda at Patersons Stadium will address that issue.
Although Fremantle have conceded a league-best 68 points per game this season, their offensive average of 85 points ranks 13th in the competition.
Sandilands has made a name for himself as a dominant ruckman throughout his 183-game career, but is expected to spend bulk time up forward as he eases his way back to full fitness.
At 211cm and 120kg, Sandilands shapes as a nightmare match-up for opposition defenders, while Pavlich is a proven spearhead with 560 goals to his name.
And with the likes of Michael Walters, Hayden Ballantyne and Chris Mayne lurking at ground level, Fremantle’s forward line has the potential to cause rival sides all sorts of headaches for the remainder of the year.
Lyon was confident both Pavlich and Sandilands would be able to play a full game against the Saints.
“They’ve been the equivalent of four weeks of our heaviest pre-season load,” Lyon said.
“So up over 30km a week for four weeks.
“It’s high sprint, high intensity, high physical work. So we certainly know they’re conditioned for AFL football.”
The Dockers will also welcome back David Mundy (calf), Michael Barlow (jaw) and Lee Spurr (illness) this week, but defender Paul Duffield will miss a fortnight due to a calf injury.
With Fremantle’s big guns back, the likes of Jack Hannath, Matt Taberner, Viv Michie, Hayden Crozier and Tom Sheridan will be in the selection firing line.
