With their key position stocks ravaged by injury, Fremantle are banking on their mosquito fleet and in-form ruckman Jon Griffin to help them kick a winning score against Collingwood on Saturday night.
The Dockers have been forced to completely remodel their forward line this season after losing skipper Matthew Pavlich (plantaris), ruckman Aaron Sandilands (hamstring), Zac Clarke (leg) and forward Kepler Bradley (knee) to injury.
Pesty 174cm goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne and 177cm forward Michael Walters have lifted brilliantly at times this year, while the 185cm Hayden Crozier has added another speedy influence inside the forward-50m.
Defender Alex Silvagni battled manfully as a key target in attack during last week’s 45-point win over Gold Coast, but it was Griffin who wielded the biggest influence when drifting up forward.
Griffin booted three goals for the match to go with his 31 hitouts, but faces a massive challenge to reproduce that form when he fronts up against dual premiership ruckman Darren Jolly at Patersons Stadium.
“Jon Griffin showed he can go forward and take contested marks. He’s becoming a real handful with his mobility and ability to mark,” Lyon said.
“But Darren Jolly is one of the peak ruckmen in the competition – dual premiership player, hard nosed, big body. Griffin’s going to have his hands full.”
Although Ballantyne was held goalless by David Swallow last week, Walters tore the match open with four goals, while Crozier chipped in with two.
Lyon was particularly pleased with the defensive pressure applied by Walters, Ballantyne and Crozier.
“If Sonny (Walters) doesn’t get you, Hayden Ballantyne will. If Hayden (Ballantyne) doesn’t get you, then hopefully Hayden Crozier will,” Lyon said.
“As a combination, they help each other.”
Lyon said it was vitally important for his key forwards to create contests so the goalsneaks could wreak havoc.
“Those little blokes live off the big blokes competing,” Lyon said.
“If you don’t get the big blokes competing, those little blokes don’t make a living.”
Collingwood have been bolstered by the early return of skipper Nick Maxwell from a wrist injury, while the Dockers also regain a key player in the form of midfielder Stephen Hill.
Fremantle have lost their past four clashes to Collingwood, but will fancy their chances of reversing that trend against a Magpies unit that has leaked an average of 102 points per game this season.
Dockers defender Luke McPharlin is set to get the job on Travis Cloke, but Lyon said it would take a team effort to shut down the in-form Collingwood forward.
Both teams boast 4-2 records despite battling injuries to key players, and Saturday’s winner will gain important momentum in their bid to secure a top-four berth.
