Port Adelaide
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Ranked: 8th
Fremantle
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Ranked: 4th
Last time
A clinical Dockers outfit proved too good for the Power and stormed to a 27-point win at AAMI Stadium.
Round 18, 2012: Port Adelaide 6.12 (48) def by Fremantle 11.9 (75) at AAMI Stadium
Form Guide
Past 5: Power 0 v Dockers 5
Past 25: Power 14 v Dockers 11
The fine print
AFL Round 22
Port Adelaide v Fremantle
Saturday 24 August
Patersons Stadium
Subiaco, WA
First bounce: 5:40pm (AWST) / 7:10pm (ACST)
Live Social: #pafclive #aflfreopower
Match information
Broadcast guide
Buy Tickets
Post-game function at Subiaco Football Club Social Room with players and coaches in attendance.
Open training at the WACA Ground at 4:40pm on Friday 23 August (local time)
The three
1. Travis Boak
The Port Adelaide skipper was outstanding against the Gold Coast Suns with an inspiring performance that included 35 possessions and three goals. Boak seems able to improve on his own lofty standards each week and has provided quality leadership to his young team in both his attitude and performance. The 2013 season has surely been his best. With an average of 26 disposals per game and lethal accuracy in front of goal, he’ll attract a lot of attention from the Fremantle Dockers.
2. Kane Cornes
In the lead up to last weekend’s game against Gold Coast many questioned whether Gary Ablett could be stopped. Port Adelaide again conjured an answer to that question through prolific tagger Kane Cornes. In another remarkable shut-down performance, Cornes kept Ablett to 22 possessions and zero goals, while racking up 26 touches and a goal himself. The 30-year-old is playing some of his best football in 2013 and will be an integral part of Port’s game plan as it looks to contain a classy Fremantle midfield. Cornes had 31 disposals last time these teams met.
3. Chad Wingard
Wingard has become a player who is able to strike fear into any defensive outfit. The youngster has fired throughout the 2013 season and the Power would love another big performance this week. The small forward has kicked eight goals in the past three weeks, although the past two have returned just three. He will want to bounce back from that dip with a good showing over in the West.
Final Word
The Power has won four of its last five matches and won't be short on confidence heading into Saturday night’s match.
But the road to victory is a difficult one. The Power hasn't beaten the Dockers in the last five encounters and Ross Lyon's Fremantle has an enviable record at home this year.
Lyon has built the Dockers into a defensive dynamo, which has the best score-conceded figure in the competition.
However without injured ruckman Aaron Sandilands and doubt over small forward Hayden Ballantyne, the Dockers may not enter this weekend's match with their preferred team.
For Port Adelaide to break down the well-structured Fremantle they must be precise - the Dockers are lethal on the turnover.
Midfielders Brad Ebert and Travis Boak will be crucial in providing run-and-carry through the centre of the ground.
Matthew Broadbent and Cam O’Shea have been brilliant for the Power across the half-back flank this season and their ability to hit targets coming out of defence will be crucial.
The odds are against the Power, but that hasn't stopped them when they play the game on their terms this year!
Current Odds
Port Adelaide 5.75 - 1.14 Fremantle
