Archive for July, 2011

While every Carlton Mid Derby is significant, the last time a match between Fremantle and West Coast had so much riding on it, the names Bell and Judd led their respective troops onto the ground formerly known as Subiaco Oval in round 21, 2006.

On that occasion, Fremantle entered Derby No.24 on the back of a seven-game winning streak that had propelled the side into fourth spot, while the Eagles were on top of the AFL ladder.

But both teams occupied their positions precariously, with four sides breathing down Freo’s neck, one game adrift and waiting to pounce on any slip up.

For West Coast, a loss could have meant losing top spot on the eve of the finals.

As history would have it, Fremantle comfortably accounted for its cross-town rival and wrapped up the club’s first-ever top-four finish a week later.

This Sunday, 24 July at Patersons Stadium, Matthew Pavlich and Darren Glass will captain their clubs in a massive Carlton Mid Derby.

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Defender Antoni Grover says Fremantle has the personnel in defence to handle West Coast’s tall forward line in what shapes as a key battleground during Sunday’s high-stakes Carlton Mid Derby.

Grover, key defender Luke McPharlin and young backman Alex Silvagni will likely line-up on the Eagles’ three-pronged attack of Josh Kennedy, Quinten Lynch and Jack Darling, with sharpshooter Mark LeCras also looming as a threat.

Grover acknowledged that the fifth-placed Eagles’ revamped forward line had become a key to their success this year but said the Fremantle defenders would back themselves on Sunday.

“I think the main aspect of our defence is that were a very competitive group,” Grover said from Fremantle Oval. “It doesn’t matter who we come up against, we’re going to give it our best shot.

“They (the Eagles) are a bit taller and their skills have been much improved from last year, and obviously their pressure skills are at the top echelon.

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Fremantle’s Stephen Hill says some third-quarter pushing and shoving proved to be little distraction on the way to an 11-point win over the Sydney Swans at the SCG on Sunday.

The visitors set up the victory in the third term, extending a two-point advantage at the 11-minute mark to 38 points at the three-quarter time siren.

The run included a 12-point play, when Swans big man Heath Grundy was penalised for a free kick in a scuffle with Hayden Ballantyne after Freo’s Rhys Palmer goaled.

Ballantyne made no mistake from the free kick, booting the third of Fremantle’s six unanswered goals from the 14-minute mark.

While Fremantle’s performance was outstanding in the third period, it was also an untidy period of the game as scuffles broke out across the ground and players started grabbing jumpers.

“We were playing pretty good and I think they might have just wanted to get into us and try and change our mindset,” Hill said after the match.

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