Gerard Waitley

But I think when we see Fremantle play well, they've got that really excellent forward pressure and they have really long periods where the game is played in their front half.

So they're very controlled, as I said.

I think in this one, though, Justin Longmuir, their main focus will be to deny Hawthorne that speed and that short uncontested mark chains that Hawthorne are so good at generating.

And I think offensively, Justin Longmuir has got to be really careful tonight that Fremantle avoid kicking to spots in the ground that allows Hawthorne to intercept the ball and then start that run and punch game that they're so good at doing.

But the other point too, and I know it's so important when you're playing in Perth,

The home team always get away to a good start.

It just feels like you're, you know, the long flight sitting in hotel rooms and the umpire raises the ball and all of a sudden you're into this breakneck speed, high intensity game.

And sometimes the visiting teams just take a little bit longer to get going.

So I think Fremantle will try and hit the scoreboard early and often.

And to do that, they've got to have a really calculated centre-bounce plan.

That's where Hawthorne are so strong.

And we saw with selection with the three rucks and how they're going to use them tonight.

But yeah, you'd sort of expect Fremantle to bring that really good defensive pressure that's been a trademark of their game so far this season.

So what should the game look like for Hawthorne?

Yeah, Hawthorne, well, they've got to try and break that pressure bubble.

So when you watch the game from behind the goals or you've got an elevated view of Fremantle games, they almost get 18 players on the field within about 60 metres of where the ball is.

So they have this sort of defensive bubble that they set up with, and that just denies you any time and space.

So if you can break that bubble, if you can get out of that defensive system that Hawthorne provide, and I think Hawthorne can do that, that's...

That's one area of Hawthorne's game that's just really hard to stop.

So Hawthorne tonight, they won't want to play slow and predictable.