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Spurr’s second game one to remember
May 15th
Fremantle recruit Lee Spurr says his first home game was a memorable one for a number of reasons, the first being the important four points gained from the 40-point victory over Port Adelaide.
Spurr who came on as a substitute in his AFL debut against Gold Coast last week, said he relished the opportunity to play the entire game on Sunday.
“There was definitely a little less nerves today,” he said.
“We really took ownership of our team and it was a good feeling.”
The 24-year-old, who had faced many of the Power players during his stint in the SANFL, showcased his versatility by playing a variety of roles on Sunday.
“I played mainly on the wing and then pushed down back,” he said.
“I got involved in some spread and also had a bit of time up forward as a defensive forward, putting the pressure on at the stoppages.”
Wayward Freo frustrates Lyon
May 14th
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is confident his team’s attacking prowess will improve after inaccuracy blotted a comfortable 40-point win over Port Adelaide on Sunday.
Captain Matthew Pavlich kicked four straight goals – including the 500th of his stellar career – in an impressive return to form, and Chris Mayne’s three goals took his season tally to 13.0.
But otherwise Fremantle’s radar was off, with an 8.14 return in the first three quarters keeping Port Adelaide in the game despite the home team’s inside 50 dominance.
Lyon praised an improved performance from his midfield, which was led superbly by returning ruckman Aaron Sandilands (43 hit-outs) and Stephen Hill (26 disposals), but said missed opportunities had been a frustration.
“In the third quarter I thought we dominated with 14 entries, and to not convert and kick 2.4 was quite frustrating,” the coach said.
“There’s some players hitting the scoreboard … so there’s a lot to like and plenty of things to improve upon.
Freo’s 500 reasons to smile
May 13th
FREMANTLE 2.8 6.9 8.14 12.15 (87)
PORT ADELAIDE 3.2 3.4 6.4 7.5 (47)
GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich 4, Mayne 3, Crowley, Ballantyne, De Boer, Pearce, Sandilands
Port Adelaide: Butcher 2, Broadbent 2, P Stewart, Westhoff, Brad Ebert
BEST
Fremantle: Hill, Broughton, Duffield, Pavlich, Crowley, Johnson, Sandilands
Port Adelaide: McCarthy, Chaplin, Cassisi, Trengove, Rodan
INJURIES
Fremantle: Pavlich (knee)
Port Adelaide: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Dylan Roberton replaced Lachie Neale in the fourth quarter
Port Adelaide: Brett Ebert replaced Daniel Stewart at three-quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Ritchie, Margetts, Dalgleish
Official crowd: 30,079 at Patersons Stadium
Fremantle squad announced: Sandilands the big in
May 11th
Aaron Sandilands is the big inclusion to Fremantle’s squad for Sunday’s match against Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium.The three-time All Australian was one of three additions to the team that defeated Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium last Saturday.
He has missed the past two games with a calf injury, but will return to lead Freo’s ruck this Mother’s Day Sunday.
The other players to be included in the 25-man squad were midfielder Jay van Berlo and defender Alex Silvagni, who have both been playing consistently in the WAFL this season.
Three players will be omitted when the final 22 is submitted at 2.30pm on Friday.
Make sure you’re online at 2.30pm tomorrow to find out the final 22 in The Freo Line-up with senior coach Ross Lyon
If Sandilands and Jonathon Griffin make the final cut, it will be the first time the ruck duo will have appeared in the same team together.
Man in the middle
May 11th
Fremantle’s midfield has made an inconsistent start to the season but the group is capable of improving quickly as star ruckman Aaron Sandilands returns, new stoppages coach Mark Stone says.
Sandilands has missed Fremantle’s last two games with a calf injury, but he declared himself a certain starter against Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium on Sunday after training strongly this week.
He will look to ignite a midfield that Stone said had been “steady without being great”, with key clearance players David Mundy and Michael Barlow building form after subdued starts to the season.
“We’ve been a bit inconsistent as a midfield group and we’ve performed well in some games and not in others,” Stone told fremantlefc.com.au.
“We performed well against Carlton but we were badly beaten the week before against St Kilda, and we were probably beaten against the Gold Coast. We’re just a little bit up and down at the moment.”
Broughton successfully challenges rough conduct charge
May 8th
Fremantle has successfully challenged the rough conduct charge against Greg Broughton at the AFL Tribunal tonight.
The AFL’s Match Review Panel had initially offered Broughton a reprimand for an incident involving Gold Coast’s David Swallow.
Broughton’s legal counsel John Prior successfully argued that although Broughton slid to take possession of the ball, his eyes were on the ball at all times and the contact with Swallow occurred after he’d taken possession.
At the time of contact, Prior argued Broughton had turned his back from Swallow, who ran in from his left and into his left knee.
Fremantle’s successful challenge removed any points hanging over Broughton’s head and allowed him to maintain his clean record.
Contract extensions for Freo trio
May 8th
Fremantle’s Stephen Hill and Matt de Boer have committed to the club by signing two-year contract extensions.
Hill, 22, who debuted in 2009 and has played 73 games, agreed to an extension that will see him remain at the club through to the end of the 2015 season.
De Boer, who has made 59 appearances and is a member of the club’s leadership group, agreed to terms that will see the 22-year-old remain a Freo Docker until the end of the 2014 season.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old recruit Lachie Neale, who was drafted from South Australia last year, has agreed to a one-year extension through to the end of the 2014 season.
General manager of player management Brad Lloyd said the club was delighted to shore up the futures of the promising trio.
Recover, prepare, play
May 8th
Fremantle’s preparation for this Sunday’s match against Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium began moments after the final siren sounded at Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium last Saturday.
The importance of recovery was paramount considering a one hour bus ride to Brisbane Airport to catch a five-and-a-half-hour flight home awaited the team.
To speed up the recovery process, Freo’s players received a series of quick-flush massages and ice baths in the change rooms after the game, along with plenty of stretching and fluid replenishment in preparation for the long trip home.
Sports science manager Jason Weber said following these protocols was vital to aid recovery after a game.
“Flush massages assist the body in re-circulating blood and waste products that have pooled in the peripheral musculature following extreme levels of endurance activity,” he said.
Broughton charged with rough conduct, can accept reprimand
May 7th
Greg Broughton has been charged with a Level One engaging in rough conduct offence against Gold Coast’s David Swallow, during the second quarter of the match against the Suns at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
He can accept a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record with an early plea, which would make him available for selection for this Sunday’s match against Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium.
Based on the video evidence available and a medical report from the Gold Coast Suns Football Club, the incident was assessed as negligent conduct (one point), medium impact (two points) and body contact (one point).
This is a total of four activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level One offence, drawing 125 demerit points and a one-match sanction.
As Broughton has no previous record, an early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record.
Mayne’s goal is a win
May 7th
Chris Mayne says he’s enjoying playing his role for the team, whether that includes kicking goals or not.
The 23-year-old has made a solid start to the season up forward, booting an accurate 10 goals straight.
But he said the only statistic that mattered to him was the win.
“It’s never been about kicking goals for me,” Mayne said.
“That’s part of my role but it’s about doing what I can for the team.
“It doesn’t matter who kicks the goals as long as we’re kicking the goals.
“I’m fortunate enough to get on the end of some from the acts of my teammates in defence and midfield, but if we win and I don’t kick any, it doesn’t bother me.”
Mayne kicked three important goals in Saturday’s nail-biting seven-point victory over the winless Gold Coast.
