Round 23 match preview: Fremantle v Melbourne

Match details
Saturday, September 1, 5.40 pm (local time), Patersons Stadium

Broadcast guide

Form
Melbourne: L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, L, W, L, Bye, W, L, L, L, L, L, W, L, W, L
Fremantle: W, L, W, W, L, W, W, L, L, L, W, Bye, L, L, W, W, W, W, W, L, W, W

Ladder position
Melbourne: 16th
Fremantle: 7th  

Head-to-head
Played: 28
Melbourne: 13
Fremantle: 15
Drawn: 0

At this ground
Played: 11
Melbourne: 8
Fremantle: 3
Drawn: 0

Last time they met
Round 16, 2012: Fremantle 18.9 (117) d Melbourne 12.11 (83) at Etihad Stadium 

Recent streak
Melbourne has won three of its past six matches against Fremantle.

Memorable match
Round 11, 2004: Melbourne 13.15 (93) d Fremantle 9.8 (62) at Subiaco Oval (now Patersons Stadium)
Melbourne’s most recent win at Patersons Stadium came in round 11, 2004. The Demons led all day, while Fremantle didn’t score a goal in the final term. Peter Vardy led the way with four goals for the Demons, followed by Cameron Bruce, who kicked three goals. It gave Melbourne a 31-point win in the west. Jeff White received three Brownlow votes and Brad Green gained two in the victory.

Milestones
Melbourne: Jared Rivers (150 matches)
Fremantle: Garrick Ibbotson (100 matches)

Coaching record
Mark Neeld: 21 matches, 4 wins, 0 draws, 17 losses
Ross Lyon: 142 matches, 89 wins, 4 draws, 49 losses

Injury list
Melbourne: Clint Bartram (knee) - season, Jamie Bennell (knee) - season, Mitch Clark (foot) - season, Aaron Davey (foot) - season, Michael Evans (back) - season, Max Gawn (knee) - season, Stef Martin (foot) - season, Cale Morton (shoulder) - season, Ricky Petterd (Achilles) - season, Jared Rivers (groin) - test, Rory Taggert (back) - season

Fremantle: Kepler Bradley (concussion) - test, Greg Broughton (finger) - season, Hayden Crozier (glandular fever) - season, Peter Faulks (groin) - season, Alex Forster (hamstring) - test, Jon Griffin (adductor) - test, Josh Mellington (ankle) - test, Viv Michie (foot) - season, Anthony Morabito (knee) - season, Lachie Neale (quadriceps) - test, Matthew Pavlich (adductor) - test, Gavin Roberts (finger) - season

Players to watch
Melbourne: Colin Sylvia
Sylvia produced, statistically, his best match of the season last round against the Adelaide Crows, when he notched up a season high 34 disposals. After an injury hit start to the year, Sylvia has bounced back strongly in the second half of the season, reaffirming his class and importance.

Fremantle: Aaron Sandilands
The game’s tallest player surprisingly returned in round 21 from injury, but he immediately rebounded to top form. He had 49 hit outs against North Melbourne last round and played a pivotal part in Fremantle’s outstanding win at Etihad Stadium. The ruckman will play a major role in his side’s finals campaign.  

Most disposals
Melbourne: Nathan Jones (499)
Fremantle: Michael Barlow (506)

Most marks
Melbourne: Jeremy Howe (120)
Fremantle: Luke McPharlin (163)

Most tackles
Melbourne: Jordie McKenzie (111)
Fremantle: Matt de Boer (127)

Most goals
Melbourne: Mitch Clark (29)
Fremantle: Matthew Pavlich (60)

How’s stat?
In matches between Melbourne and Fremantle since 2008, the wins have alternated. The streak looks like this: W (Melb), W (Fre), W (Melb), W (Fre), W (Melb), W (Fre).

Foot in both camps
Those who have been involved with both clubs include: Scott Chisholm, Jeff Farmer, Troy Longmuir, Troy Simmonds, Phil Gilbert, Stephen Icke, Kelly O’Donnell, Chris Connolly, Mark Riley, Cameron Schwab, Neale Daniher, Jason Norrish, Jeff White.

What Mark Neeld says …
“We’re going to go to Perth and give it our best shot and try and compete, and we understand that they’re in some really, really good form. We’ve got some ideas that we might be able to take over there and see if we can combat some of those things. But at the same time ago, two months ago at Docklands, especially early on, we got a significant lead against the Dockers, so we’ve got another opportunity for the boys to travel interstate, which is really important. It’s a young group and we want to give them as much experience as we possibly can.”

Key Melbourne question
Melbourne’s season will come to a close after this round. Can the Demons produce one of the upsets of the season against Fremantle and win at Patersons Stadium?

Key Fremantle question
Fremantle has secured its fourth finals series since joining the competition in 1995, although several scenarios will dictate where the team finishes. But will it secure a final on home soil or travel for the opening week of the finals?

Summary
And so the end of a disappointing and frustrating season will come to an end for Melbourne this Saturday. The Demons have endured a trying year - on and off the field - which has produced just four wins to date. Although Mark Neeld has had to contend with an extraordinary first year as senior coach, there have been some positives for the Demons to draw on. The recruitment and performance of Mitch Clark before injury, the consistency of leader Nathan Jones, the excitement of Sam Blease, the emergence of defender Tom McDonald and the development of co-captains Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove have all been pluses. The Demons will now finish their season at Patersons Stadium - a venue they haven’t won at since round 11, 2004. It’s going to be an almighty challenge for Melbourne to overcome a red hot Fremantle, which has won seven of its past eight matches. The odds are against the Demons, but they must finish the season with a strong, competitive showing.