Dockers could be in for struggle if Cats are up for the contest
IT HAS become a bit of a footy cliche to say that the game is won at the contest and Fremantle’s meeting with Geelong on Monday night will prove how true that is.
The Cats have prided themselves in the past two years at being the best around the ball and currently average the most clearances in the AFL with 33.6 per game.
On the flip side, the Dockers are ranked 17th, with just 25.1 clearance wins per match.
The discrepancy should be magnified by Fremantle playing without injured skipper Nat Fyfe.
Although Geelong is missing two of its top three contested possession winners in this season in Joel Selwood and Gary Ablett, Round 8 is a golden chance to win the ball in the middle and play the game on Geelong’s terms.
Without either of its first two choices in the ruck, Geelong will have to call on Esava Ratugolea to outpoint Sean
Darcy and Rory Lobb.
Darcy was a force in the first 25 games of his career at winning the hit-outs but has won just over 17 per game this year, ranking him 22nd in the league. Ratugolea should be able to jump over Darcy in centre bounces and will be more nimble than him around the ground.
At ground level, while Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra have taken steps forward, David Mundy and Michael Walters are clearly Fremantle’s best two midfielders. Walters provides most of the drive for the Dockers and nullifying his influence will hold up the purple run.
When he rests forward, expect Jed Bews to man him up and while he is great in space, Walters is light for a midfielder and the Cats may look to nudge him off the football.
The aerial battle will be of contrasts as well, with Fremantle the top side in the AFL for contested marks.
The Dockers grab 5.5 more contested marks per game than the Cats, who are ranked last.
That is a combination of Geelong choosing not to kick to contests as much as Fremantle and the Dockers boasting two strong forwards.