Anything and Everything Fremantle
Posts tagged Team Selections
The Freo Line-up: Griff in for Sandi, Fyfe to play
012 years
Ruckman Jonathon Griffin has been handed the giant task of replacing Aaron Sandilands for Friday night’s Len Hall Game against Carlton at Patersons Stadium.Griffin has been named to lead Fremantle’s ruck after Sandilands could not be considered because of a knee injury.
Star young midfielder Nathan Fyfe will play after missing last weekend’s win over St Kilda with a shoulder injury, while Nick Suban was omitted and will play WAFL for Claremont.
Rookie-listed Lee Spurr was today elevated onto the senior list and has been named as an emergency along with Kepler Bradley and Dylan Roberton.
Fremantle assistant coach Peter Sumich said recent form and past history gave the club every confidence that Griffin would do the job on Friday night.
The former Adelaide ruckman performed admirably in 2011 when Sandilands was out of the side.
The Freo Line-up – LACH AND LOADED
012 years
South Australian recruit Lachie Neale will make his AFL debut on Friday night football after being named in Fremantle’s team to take on St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.Livewire forward Hayden Ballantyne returns after serving his two-game suspension, while Nathan Fyfe has been named for the clash against senior coach Ross Lyon’s old side.
Josh Mellington is out with a long-term hamstring injury, and Kepler Bradley was omitted.
Dylan Roberton, Jack Anthony and Bradley are the emergencies.
Neale was having an excellent NAB Cup campaign and appeared set for a round 1 debut before an ankle injury sustained in Victor Harbour against Port Adelaide slowed him.
Freo assistant and senior development coach Simon Lloyd said it was an exciting time for the 18-year-old and his family.
“It’s a very special moment to play your first game of AFL football,” he said.
Lloyd said Neale would play a high-forward role with stints in the midfield, similar to what he did in the pre-season.
The Freo Line-up: The band is back together
012 years
The jewel in the crown of Fremantle’s midfield has been put back in place following champion on-baller David Mundy’s inclusion for Saturday’s clash against the Brisbane Lions at Patersons Stadium.The 2010 Doig Medallist has not played a game this season, but such is his quality and importance to the team, Fremantle has chosen to throw him in against the Lions.
Jack Anthony was the player to make way, while Alex Silvagni, Jay van Berlo and Dylan Roberton were named as emergencies.
Brisbane possesses a talented young midfield group, including the likes of Jack Redden, Tom Rockliff and Daniel Rich, although the Lions will miss the experience of Simon Black who is out with a hand injury.
Assistant coach Michael Prior said Mundy’s return will give Freo a huge boost in the midfield battle.
“David’s been champing at the bit to go,” Prior said.
Sandilands and Barlow set to take on Cats
012 years
The pieces of Fremantle’s vaunted on-ball jigsaw are coming together after Aaron Sandilands and Michael Barlow were named to take on reigning AFL Premiers Geelong in Saturday’s Starlight Purple Haze Game at Patersons Stadium.Zac Dawson has also been named to make his first appearance for the club, while second-year player Josh Mellington and recently elevated rookie Clancee Pearce have been rewarded for their strong pre-seasons.
The emergencies for the game are Antoni Grover, Jayden Pitt and Jay van Berlo.
Fremantle assistant coach Mark Stone said it was a difficult but pleasing task to pick a team with so many fit and available players to choose from.
“It was a challenge,” Stone said.
“I think we had around 28-30 players that were available to pick from, which is what we want.
Full dress rehearsal
012 years
Fremantle and Hawthorn are using Friday night’s NAB Cup clash at Patersons Stadium as a dress rehearsal for round 1, with both sides picking near full-strength line-ups.
Freo’s squad includes Garrick Ibbotson, Antoni Grover and Nick Lower, who are all yet to appear in a NAB Cup match this pre-season.
Hayden Ballantyne and Michael Johnson have also been named after missing last weekend’s game against Port Adelaide in Victor Harbor.
Stars Matthew Pavlich, Nat Fyfe, Stephen Hill and Luke McPharlin are among those in the 29-man squad.
The Hawks are also pulling no punches for this match, selecting the likes of Luke Hodge, Lance Franklin, Sam Mitchell and Cyril Rioli.
Forward Jarryd Roughead is another inclusion for what could be his first match since tearing his Achilles in round 12 last year.
Senior coach Ross Lyon said Friday night presented Freo with a great opportunity to play against one of the AFL’s best teams before the season began.
Strong team picked for Victor Harbor encounter
012 years
Ross Lyon is sticking by his plan to get minutes into the players’ legs before round 1, selecting a strong team to play Port Adelaide at Victor Harbor in South Australia on Saturday.
Matthew Pavlich will travel to his home state after being rested for last weekend’s match against Richmond at Patersons Stadium.
Key defenders Antoni Grover and Alex Silvagni are in line for their first appearances of the pre-season, as is hard-at-it midfielder Nick Lower.
New recruits Hayden Crozier, Sam Menegola and Haiden Schloithe could also potentially play their first games in a Freo jumper.
The 29-man squad for the NAB Cup round 3 match includes stars Luke McPharlin, Nat Fyfe, Stephen Hill and Greg Broughton, although Aaron Sandilands was not named after pulling out after the warm-up last week.
Freo names strong squad to face Tigers
012 years
Fremantle has named key defenders Luke McPharlin and Alex Silvagni along with ruckman Jon Griffin in the 29-man squad for Sunday’s NAB Cup round 2 match against Richmond at Patersons Stadium.
Key forward Kepler Bradley is another player in line to play his first pre-season match.
Senior coach Ross Lyon said the priority on Sunday would be to get game time into his likely round one line-up, although captain Matthew Pavlich and star ruckman Aaron Sandilands were both expected to play restricted minutes.
“We’ll play it on the run a little bit,” Lyon said.
“We’ve got a couple of half-time things planned.
“Matthew Pavlich will play a half at this point, but he might want to continue so he might play a full game. Aaron (Sandilands) we’re thinking about a half; Jon Griffin a half; maybe Luke McPharlin a half.
“We’ll be managing our players and getting minutes into them – that’s the absolute priority, and practicing our game style.”
Lyon names first squad
012 years
Ross Lyon’s first official match as Fremantle coach could see up to seven players pull on the purple jumper for the first time.
The 30-man squad for Sunday’s NAB Cup round 1 fixture against West Coast and Essendon at Patersons Stadium includes former St Kilda defender Zac Dawson.
He has been named along with draftees Lachie Neale, Hayden Crozier and Tom Sheridan, and rookies Lee Spurr, Sam Menegola and Haiden Schloithe.
The onus of leading the backline will fall on Dawson and second-year player Peter Faulks in the absence of key defenders Luke McPharlin, Antoni Grover and Alex Silvagni.
There’ll still be plenty of star-power and experience out on the park for Freo, however, with captain Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, Stephen Hill, Hayden Ballantyne and 2011 sensation Nat Fyfe all named in the squad.
Freo will play two shortened matches against the Bombers and Eagles comprising of 20-minute halves across a three-hour window.
All hands on deck
013 years
Fremantle has made five changes for its match against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.Decimated by injuries, the club has selected almost every available player on its list to fill the 22 spots plus emergencies for the final game of the season.
Ben Bucovaz has been named for his second game of the year after he successfully appealed against a striking charge at the WAFL Tribunal on Thursday.
Justin Bollenhagen, 19, will play his first game in 2011, while first-year player Jayden Pitt, 18, is also back in.
Defender Antoni Grover returns for game 201 after a week off with soreness, while Alex Silvagni has also answered the SOS from Freo’s backline.
Out of the Fremantle side, all with shoulder injuries, are Doig Medal favourite Nat Fyfe, Garrick Ibbotson and Nick Lower, who is also serving the first game of a three-match suspension.
Rhys Palmer also misses after he sustained an injury at training on Wednesday night, while Peter Faulks is out with a broken jaw.
When opportunity knocks… there’s plenty to fight for
013 years
Yes, Collingwood are the reigning AFL Premiers who have won 13 games in succession this season and have only tasted defeat twice in their past 36 games. And yes, Fremantle has made seven changes to a squad reeling from the ‘carnage’ that was last week’s heavy loss to North Melbourne.But what will be present at Patersons Stadium on Friday night are 22 players desperate to do justice to the purple jumpers they will be wearing, regardless of who their opponents are.
Coming into the Fremantle side is Paul Duffield, Nick Lower, Kepler Bradley, Clancee Pearce and Peter Faulks, who have all tasted senior team action at some stage this season.
Byron Schammer also returns for his first game since round 12, 2010, while Jack Anthony, who has played only two games since moving from Collingwood, comes in to face his old side.
