Saturday first AFL Finals Week 1 match is between Geelong Cats and Fremantle Dockers with the game to be played at Skilled Stadium. The opening bounce is set to commence at 2:20pm local time with home team Geelong Cats currently holding favouritism. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Geelong Cats and Fremantle Dockers.
WHERE AND WHEN: Skilled Stadium, 2:20pm AEST Saturday, September 7, 2013
Opening odds comparison:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Geelong Cats | 1.35 | 1.33 | 1.33 | 1.33 | 1.35 | 1.35 |
|
Fremantle Dockers
|
3.25 | 3.25 | 3.45 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.30 |
Preview:
The second game of the weekend is between Geelong and Fremantle, kicking off on Saturday, Simmons Stadium at 2.20pm. Geelong will be expected to win here and progress straight to week three, although Fremantle might have something to say about it. Geelong have been a little sketchy over the last month, with some average goal kicking and lots of missed opportunities. Saying that, however, they have managed to win their last four games and also beat Fremantle by 41 points the last time these two teams met in round 14.
Fremantle will have to contend with Simmons Stadium, however, a big plus for the Cats that should not be underestimated. They will bring back a number of players for this encounter, including names like Hayden Ballantyne, Nick Suban, Stephen Hill, and Nathan Fyfe. Each and every one of them will have to be in top form to trouble the Cats though, who amazingly, have lost just once at Simmons Stadium in their last 44 matches.
Teams:
Geelong Cats: 
B: Taylor, Lonergan, Enright
HB: Rivers, Mackie, Bartel
C: Johnson, Corey, Christensen
HF: Selwood, Podsiadly, Motlop
F: Chapman, Hawkins, Caddy
R: Vardy, Kelly, Duncan
INT: Blicavs, Stokes, T Hunt, Varcoe
EMG: Guthrie, Murdoch, Walker
In: N.Vardy
Out: T.West
Fremantle Dockers: 
B: Spurr, Dawson, Duffield
HB: Suban, Silvagni, Mzundu
C: Mundy, Barlow, Hill
HF: De Boar, Mayne, D.Pearce
F: Ballantyne, Pavlich, Walters
FOLL: Sandilands, Fyfe, Crowley
INT: Sutcliffe, Clarke, Sheridan, Neale
EMG: McPharlin, Hannath, Crozier
In: D.Mundy, L.Spurr, Z.Dawson, H.Ballantyne, N.Suban, S.Hill, C.Mayne, M.Walters, Z.Clarke, N.Fyfe
Out: P.Faulks, C.Pearce (achilles), J.Hannath, J.Crichton, J.Mellington, A.Forster (back), H.Crozier, M.Taberner, J.Simpson, C.Moller
Dockers have mixed AFL selection news
Fremantle have lost Michael Johnson, but are set to regain fellow defender Luke McPharlin as all eight AFL finalists made major selection calls.
A host of stars, including Cyril Rioli, Kurt Tippett, Lewis Jetta, Dan Hannebery, Luke Ball, Harry O’Brien, Hamish Hartlett, Chris Newman, Jack Riewoldt, Chris Judd and Heath Scotland were named to return over the weekend.
Geelong continue to tinker with their rucks, dropping Trent West for Nathan Vardy, while their qualifying final opponents Fremantle named McPharlin as an emergency and changed nearly half the team.
Rioli did not train on Thursday, putting him in doubt for Friday night’s finals series opener against Sydney.
The man he famously chased down the wing in last year’s grand final, Swans speedster Jetta, is back for his first game since round 10.
The Dockers had some bad news, losing Johnson to a calf injury, but McPharlin (calf) is every chance to return for the first time since round 15.
“At the moment we will just see how he pulls up tomorrow and we’re expecting him to play and we will finalise the team closer to the game,” Dockers football manager Chris Bond said.
The Dockers made 10 changes after last week’s mass resting of players for the away loss to St Kilda.
David Mundy, Zac Dawson, Hayden Ballantyne, Nick Suban, Stephen Hill, Lee Spurr, Chris Mayne, Michael Walters, Zac Clarke and Nathan Fyfe are all back.
Clancee Pearce (Achilles) and Alex Foster (back) were the only forced omissions.
There was speculation that Josh Hunt could also return for the Cats, but Vardy was the only inclusion.
The ruckman missed one week with a hip problem.
Along with Rioli, the Hawks included Brent Guerra and Max Bailey as they lost Lance Franklin to suspension and left out Shane Savage and Taylor Duryea for the Friday night qualifying final against Sydney.
Tippett, Hannebery, Jetta and Smith return for the injury-plagued Swans.
Coach John Longmire said Jetta will probably start as their sub for the qualifying final.
“It’s more than likely that he’ll play the sub role and hopefully he can give us a real lift when he comes onto the ground,” he said.
Sydney dropped Mitch Morton, Harry Cunningham, Shane Biggs and Brandon Jack.
Collingwood regained Ball (calf) and O’Brien (illness) for Saturday night’s elimination final against Port Adelaide, leaving out Jordan Russell and Ben Kennedy.
The Power regained Alipate Carlile and Robbie Gray as well as Hartlett for Brent Renouf, Lewis Stevenson and Jack Hombsch.
Richmond lost Matt White to a hamstring injury for Sunday’s elimination final against Carlton.
Newman, Riewoldt, Shane Edwards and Matt Dea were added to their squad.
The Blues’ extended squad features Judd, Scotland and Brock McLean, with the final Sunday teams announced on Friday afternoon.