No rest for the wicked. We are in need of a statement, and that statement needs to take the form of an away win. Yes it ain't easy, but it is what we need.
This round we are up against a side that has taken the reverse path in their rebuild. We have built from defence pumping some prodigious talent into our backline via some valuable high draft picks; the Crows have prioritised their forward half.
Amongst their excitement machines Rankine, Rachelle, Thilthorpe and Fogarty are a balanced and dangerous group, and individually have the power to inflict carnage. Fogarty may be missing and that is no small benefit to Fremantle, however the Crows still have depth to cover if he does.
Fremantle do have plausible match ups for the Crows forwards, but so far this season we have looked a little clunky in defence. The game plan has had a touch of schizophrenia about it with some uncertainty about whether the ball should be transferred slowly sideways, and then back again, or zoomed forward. Many fans have a different answer to that dilemma than the coach, and the players seem to be caught in two minds by the whisperings in the ears.
In contrast, Nicks appears to have his team singing from the same song book. He is unleashing some forward half mayhem. Longmuir seems to be constraining the talent he has in his backline arsenal.
It is a tough game for Fremantle. An away game at a venue we don't perform well. A hostile crowd. It should be a great contest, and I'm tipping some fireworks.
Go Dockers. Brayshaw BOG. Walters another 4 goals. 9 point margin. 4 points in the bag.
This round we are up against a side that has taken the reverse path in their rebuild. We have built from defence pumping some prodigious talent into our backline via some valuable high draft picks; the Crows have prioritised their forward half.
Amongst their excitement machines Rankine, Rachelle, Thilthorpe and Fogarty are a balanced and dangerous group, and individually have the power to inflict carnage. Fogarty may be missing and that is no small benefit to Fremantle, however the Crows still have depth to cover if he does.
Fremantle do have plausible match ups for the Crows forwards, but so far this season we have looked a little clunky in defence. The game plan has had a touch of schizophrenia about it with some uncertainty about whether the ball should be transferred slowly sideways, and then back again, or zoomed forward. Many fans have a different answer to that dilemma than the coach, and the players seem to be caught in two minds by the whisperings in the ears.
In contrast, Nicks appears to have his team singing from the same song book. He is unleashing some forward half mayhem. Longmuir seems to be constraining the talent he has in his backline arsenal.
It is a tough game for Fremantle. An away game at a venue we don't perform well. A hostile crowd. It should be a great contest, and I'm tipping some fireworks.
Go Dockers. Brayshaw BOG. Walters another 4 goals. 9 point margin. 4 points in the bag.