In Australia, Fremantle to face Geelong in AFL semi-final
In Australia, the Fremantle Dockers are preparing for an AFL semi-final against the Geelong Cats after losing to Hawthorn in the qualifying final. The team, which led the ladder for most of the season and finished as minor premiers, retains a chance to win the club’s first-ever championship title, ABC News Australia reports.
The loss to Hawthorn was the Dockers’ first home defeat in 13 matches at Perth Stadium this season. If they lose to Geelong, the team will be eliminated from the playoffs after two consecutive defeats. According to ABC, since 2014, elimination after two losses has been the most common outcome for top-four teams that lost qualifying finals.
The contest for the ball
Opponents are increasingly trying to neutralize Fremantle’s advantage in aerial contests by focusing on play after the ball falls to the ground. In the Round 17 match against the GWS Giants, the Giants won the contest for the ball after stoppage exits by 65 to 49.
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Against Hawthorn, the Dockers were level in the contest after clearances, but their opponents scored 27 more points from turnovers. Fremantle’s tall forwards Josh Treacy, Patrick Voss and Jye Amiss scored two goals between them — the first time since Round 6 that the trio had not scored at least three goals.
Statistics from matches against Geelong
Geelong enter the semi-final on a six-game winning streak and comfortably defeated Carlton last week. During the regular season, the Cats and Dockers exchanged wins: in Round 1, Geelong won by 10 points and took 50 more marks, while in Round 15, Fremantle won by nine points with a 22-mark advantage.
Fremantle lost three of the four matches in which it recorded its lowest mark totals of the season. At the same time, Geelong’s defence over the past 10 matches has allowed opponents to take marks and have shots inside the 50-metre zone at rates among the four worst in the league. Fremantle co-captain Andy Brayshaw named physicality at the start, the contest and keeping the ball in the forward half as key factors.
