→Sat, 26 Sept, 2:30 pm, Game not started, Dockers versus Lions
asserted
Game → start → Lions
→
Football fans unite in glory, but the bonds of fandom are often forged in failure.
asserted
bonds → unite → failure
It is fair to say that Fremantle fans have suffered more than most since their club's entry to the AFL.
asserted
fans → say → AFL
It's also fair to say that, as a result, Dockers fans are some of the most passionate and dedicated in the league.
asserted
fans → say → league
The Purple Army is something to believe in.
asserted
Army → believe → ?
The anchor is sometimes less a motif of their moniker and instead a weight tethering their expectations.
asserted
anchor → tether → expectations
But this year everything seems different.
asserted
everything → seem → ?
This year Fremantle has led from the front, often without looking back.
asserted
Fremantle → lead → front
Even as the pack came for the Dockers, they didn't fold under the pressure.
asserted
they → come → pressure
Instead, they buckled down and somehow got better.
asserted
they → buckle → ?
"The way to win premierships is to win games of footy, and you win games of footy by winning more moments than the opposition," Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir explained last week.
asserted
Longmuir → win → opposition
"So we all know what's on the line, but we've just got to make sure that we give our best at each moment, and the next moment's the most important one.
asserted
moment → know → moment
The Dockers showed a resilience often only attached to the best of teams.
asserted
Dockers → show → teams
It's also one baked into the identity of their side.
asserted
It → bake → side
Fremantle aren't just stocked with high-draft picks.
asserted
Fremantle → stock → picks
The Dockers are also filled with players overlooked and discarded by others.
asserted
Dockers → fill → others
Almost half of the side that will run out on Saturday fits into those categories, with a few rookies to boot.
asserted
that → run → rookies
If these players had given up at the first rejection, they wouldn't be in the league.
asserted
they → give → league
Like many successful teams of years' past, they have been built on a solid defensive base, with enough star power to shine through when needed.
asserted
they → build → power
Like many great teams, they play their best footy when it matters most.
asserted
it → play → footy
Last week, Fremantle put together arguably the best quarter of its season to make the grand final.
asserted
Fremantle → put → final
"We played our best footy in the last quarter when everything was against us …
asserted
everything → play → us
I'm just so proud of everyone," captain Alex Pearce said in the immediate wake of last week's victory.
asserted
Pearce → say → victory
Thirteen years after their first grand final, the Dockers finally seem primed to break their premiership drought.
asserted
Dockers → seem → drought
In their way stands a side featuring the only remaining Fremantle player from that 2013 loss: Lachie Neale.
asserted
side → stand → loss
Strength in defence
Often the leaders of a side dictate the identity and style of a side.
asserted
leaders → dictate → side
Led ably by captain and All-Australian Alex Pearce, Fremantle's backline may not be as star-studded as other defensive units around the league, but it is as sturdy as any.
uncertain
it → lead → any
They scramble, hustle and fight through all four quarters.
asserted
They → scramble → quarters
Regularly through the year teams fell away as the Dockers held strong.
asserted
Dockers → fall → year
The Dockers have had the league's most consistently good defence across all facets of the game.
asserted
Dockers → have → game
Some backlines drop their heads when the tide starts to turn — not Fremantle.
asserted
tide → drop → heads
Fremantle excels at defending before danger begins.
asserted
danger → excel → ?
Its midfield works hard to prevent clean exits from stoppages and contests around the ground.
asserted
midfield → work → ground
Although the Dockers don't have the best clearance differential or ability to win ground balls in the mid-arc, they are exceptional at preventing opposition teams from scoring from these sources.
asserted
they → have → sources
When they lose possession in their front half, the Dockers stay eager to get the ball in their hands.
asserted
Dockers → lose → hands
They are the best side in the league at winning the ball back in the middle third of the ground.
asserted
They → win → ground
If the ball does end up inside their defensive 50, no side is better at repelling opposition forwards.
asserted
side → end → forwards
Miserly is an understatement about how Fremantle defends.
asserted
Fremantle → defend → ?
When they win the ball back, they can turn on the jets and blow opposition sides away.
asserted
they → win → sides
Few fans turn up to the footy for stout defence.
asserted
fans → turn → defence
…and 34 more, not listed.
The Aporia
