 | Things are finally starting to go in Fremantle's favour for 2007. Coming off a big win over the Saints, they get to play at their home away from home, the MCG. They managed to get through the week without losing a player to suspension (although it came close), they get to play Collingwood after they've just been up to Brisbane and, best of all, they get to play them in June. Fremantle can't lose. | | We all know Collingwood's record during the winter months. Traditionally they like to have a crack at the April and May premierships, at which point they're quite happy to spiral into oblivion until the sacrificial lamb is killed some time just after September. Last year the coach and the president looked like getting the chop. One fled the state for a few months, the other grew a gay little beard and disguised himself as Guy Fawkes until the heat was off. Meanwhile, they offered up Chris Tarrant as the man to blame for all their problems. What they didn't realise was that Tarrant couldn't wait to get out of the place. Mick Malthouse berating him every time he tried to take a spekky mark, kick a goal that wasn't from a set shot directly in front or share a taxi with some new friends he'd just met. Even on a highly suspicious Collingwood style salary, it just wasn’t worth the trouble. Fremantle were also waiting for the inevitable implosion down at the Highest Bidder Centre and were pretty quick to offload a surplus small forward to give Matthew Pavlich a bit of help in the air. Now a lot has been made of the treatment Chris Tarrant will be copping from the Collingwood supporters. Apparently they're going to really give it to the former Magpie and throw him off his game. | | But it's hard to see what effect it's going to have on the Fremantle champion. For starters, how does a Collingwood supporter insult someone? Tell them their personal hygiene is above average and make reference to their high academic status? Tell them they’re an upstanding citizen and contribute a great deal to society? Tell them they're wife is actually attractive and that their parents were unrelated by birth?
Even that sort of thing is probably a bit out of their league. Most of them will hang over the fence and drawl out. 'Yous used to play for us'
'we fink you are no good'
'Medshorse is betta than yous anyway'
It’s hardly the sort of thing that is going to throw a highly skilled, well trained, professional footballer off his game.
Either way, it can't be much worse than what they used to shout out at him when he was on their side. The best thing they could do is actually say nothing to him, he'd get confused playing at the MCG without Collingwood supporters chucking stuff at him as he kicked. His entire rhythm would be thrown out of whack. If he can avoid slipping on the drool as he runs around the boundary line he should be fine.
But even if by some chance one of the Collingwood supporters stumbles on a shiny piece of beer can or a shard of stubby glass and can conjure enough dexterity and concentration to shine it in Tarrant's eyes for the entire match, it's not going to create a problem for Fremantle.
Unlike Collingwood, they haven't got their hopes resting on the fortunes of an over grown gibbon who's brother could kick a bit. They've got Matthew Pavlich hanging around as a backup to Tarrant. Pavlich is the sort of player they build places like the MCG for. He's the reason thousands of Collingwood supporters hand over the dole cheques every week to try and fill. He was born for the big stage and come Friday night, most experts are expecting him to absolutely explode.
Not just because he's due for a big one (averaging 3 goals a game is fine for some but Pav sets higher standards for himself than that) it's because Collingwood, like all sides Mick Malthouse builds, is full of half sized defenders, taggers and a forward line who's idea of a big day out is if they can get their goal tally into double figures. For a side like Fremantle that’s a chance to shoot some fish in a barrel.
Right from the centre square Fremantle have got them beat. Sure, Josh Fraser thinks he's fooling most of us with the comb over but the one bloke he knows knows just how much hair he's lost up there is Aaron Sandilands. From his vantage point, Sandilands can see the remnants of the Demoxinil Josh didn't quite wash out - and it terrifies him. To avoid being seen, he'll start his run up from so far back, by the time he get within jumping range he'll have a stitch and be calling for the runner. Meanwhile, Sandilands will swat the ball out of the air to one of his wingman, they'll be spoiled for choice with big marking forwards stampeding towards them while Clement and Wakelin are hanging on to someone's jumper in the crowd - from there it will just be a question of accuracy.
Being Collingwood v Fremantle, the umpires will undoubtedly picked out a dozen or so free kicks from the centre - against Fremantle. If that's the case, you've got Luke McPharlin, Michael Johnson, Scott Thornton and Antoni Grover there to take care of Rocca, some bloked named Cloke and smallest group of men with questionable sexuality since the Smurfs.
It's more of the same from there. Roger Hayden and Heath Black will send the ball back down the ground, Brett Peake might do some bog laps of the centre square, then give Peter Bell his pick of the forwards before waiting to see how the goal umpire adjudicates.
They'll do that about 20 times, sing the club song, hop on the plane and be back home in time to see the end of Channel 7's telecast.
The Teams
You Be Chris
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