DOCKERS V POWER

At Patersons Stadium, Perth, 7.45pm (AEST)

RECENT RECORD: Fremantle 8 Port 2. IN 2014: R23 – Fremantle 16.9 (105) def Port 14.13 (97) in Perth. R8 – Port 13.16 (94) def Fremantle 11.10 (76) in Adelaide. LAST WEEK: QF Fremantle 10.9 (69) lost to Sydney 13.15 (93). EF Port 20.12 (132) def Richmond 11.9 (75). BUILD-UP: The two teams are all square this season with home-ground advantage proving the difference each time. While Port heads back to Perth with a small crack in Matt White’s jaw its only injury concern, Fremantle will be understrength down back without Luke McPharlin and Michael Johnson, and up forward minus Hayden Ballantyne. RUNNING HOT: Fremantle: Nathan Fyfe, Michael Barlow and David Mundy get the plaudits, but Lachie Neale is the midfielder getting his hands to the ball the most lately – 31 last week against Sydney and 34 against Port in round 23. Port: Travis Boak gathered 34 disposals and 12 clearances last week. Does Ryan Crowley tag the skipper or Robbie Gray, who’s registered a team-high 63 possessions in games against Freo this year? UNDER THE PUMP: Fremantle: Stephen Hill (33 disposals in total in the past two weeks) and Danyle Pearce (27), who was subbed out against Sydney, need to provide a lot more ballcarrying run. With Hayden Ballantyne grounded, young forward Michael Tabener (five touches, no goals last week) will also need to give Matthew Pavlich a hand in attack. Port: Ruckman Matthew Lobbe faces the giant challenge of taking on Aaron Sandilands, whose tapwork last week was supreme.

FINAL WORD: It could be a rude awakening for Port after reducing Richmond to witch’s hats. Despite its injury woes, Fremantle can provide the pressure and has the big bodies to blunt the Power’s run. The Dockers won’t want the game developing into a shootout, though.