Where and When: Saturday, 1.45pm AEST, Manuka Oval

Last time they met:

The finals-bound Dockers secured a solid win the last time these teams met in round four, beating the GIANTS 13.10 (88) to 8.6 (54) over at Optus Stadium. The GIANTS hung around for a while – let off the hook for much of the game by the Dockers’ inaccuracy - but conceded six straight final-quarter goals which saw Freo run away with it. Will Brodie and David Mundy controlled the midfield for Fremantle, with the GIANTS’ struggling to contain their big crew of quick, hard running small forwards: Michael Frederick, Lachie Shulz, Sam Switkowski as well as youngster Nathan O’Driscoll, who kicked two goals from the wing. Tom Green’s two third quarter goals helped spark the GIANTS – he fought the fight in the middle - and the backline as usual did their best to hold the Dockers out, but scoring was tough all day and after just four rounds, the team found itself under pressure in Western Australia.

Broadcast

Saturday’s match will be shown live on Channel 7 in NSW and the ACT as well as Fox Footy and Kayo nationally from 1:30pm.

The match can also be heard on the following radio stations in Sydney this week: SEN’s AFL Nation. For the latest television and radio broadcast guide, click here.

What it means for the GIANTS: 

It’s the last game of a long, tumultuous season and a chance to finish off well in front of a home crowd in Canberra that hasn’t seen a GIANTS win since 2019. 

Where’s the opposition at?

The Dockers are preparing for their first finals series since 2015 when they finished in top spot on the ladder under former coach Ross Lyon. Sitting on 58 points with 14 wins and a draw, Fremantle will go into the final round of the season eight points ahead of the seventh-placed Richmond, meaning they can’t finish lower than sixth. Despite being only two points behind Sydney in second, Fremantle can only rise as high as third in their best-case scenario.

Player watch: 

Leek Aleer has flourished in the GIANTS’ backline alongside Sam Taylor, Harry Himmelberg and Isaac Cumming since making his AFL debut in round 21. The 20-year-old had a career high 14 disposals, 7 intercepts and 5 marks against the Bulldogs last weekend and is gaining more confidence at AFL level every week. 

In the mix:  

Young midfielder Tanner Bruhn and veteran Lachlan Keeffe have both been ruled out of the GIANTS’ final game of the season. Tim Taranto and James Peatling could both return this week after exiting the concussion protocols, with the pair needing to pass their final medical requirements to be cleared to play on Saturday afternoon. Ruckman Braydon Preuss will be a test this week after missing last weekend with a minor shoulder injury and a decision on whether small forward Bobby Hill will play in the VFL on Saturday will be made later this week. There’s a number of players ready to be called upon if required, with Conor Stone, Xavier O'Halloran, Cooper Hamilton, Cam Fleeton, Wade Derksen, Zach Sproule and Will Shaw all available for a late-season call-up to AFL level. 

Fremantle has rallied from a 31-point deficit to give themselves a shot at a top-four finish with a 20-point victory over the GIANTS at Manuka Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The 13.11 (89) to 10.9 (69) win means Fremantle will finish inside the top four and earn a double chance in September if either Sydney or Collingwood lose to St Kilda or Carlton respectively on Sunday.

Michael Walters played a starring role in his 200th game with three goals, while Caleb Serong (32 disposals with a game-high 11 clearances and a game-high 15 contested possessions) and Will Brodie (30 disposals with a game-high 19 uncontested possessions) were outstanding in the midfield.

But Fremantle were made to do it the hard way, with the GIANTS kicking seven of the first nine goals to lead by 31 points five minutes into the second quarter. The Dockers responded with six of the next seven majors, including three in a lopsided third term to lead at the final change.

Lachie Ash could have put the GIANTS up by 10 points with 12 minutes left in the last term but missed a golden opportunity from close range. From there, Fremantle took their chances to close the game out, with milestone man Walters putting through a clutch goal after Jordan Clark's 60m bomb restored the Dockers lead.

Fittingly, the outstanding Serong kicked the sealer in the final minute with a right-foot snap.

Fremantle deserved their win despite their sluggish start, dominating the disposal count 397-339, contested possessions 150-133 and inside 50s 68-45 having been behind by two in that category at half-time.

All-Australian candidate Sam Taylor was the best for the GIANTS, who will finish the season in 16th spot with a 6-16 record.

Taylor had 12 marks (including nine intercept marks) to go with 20 touches, shutting down the returning Nat Fyfe, who was rusty in his first game since suffering a hamstring injury.

Jesse Hogan booted three goals against his former club in another bright spot for the GIANTS, while Harry Perryman was their leading ball-winner with 24 touches.

Hogan kicked the opening two goals of the game as the GIANTS jumped Fremantle with four of the first five majors. Walters pulled one back before quarter-time but the GIANTS' ball movement was causing Freo issues.

The GIANTS continued to enjoy the best of the territory battle in the second term, with the next three goals opening up a 31-point lead after Tim Taranto bounced one home.

Given what was at stake, the Dockers inevitably responded and kicked three goals before half-time, including a classy Nathan O'Driscoll finish, as they started to gain ascendancy to close within 11 points at the long break.

Fremantle carried that momentum into the third term, dominating the disposal count 116-65 and inside 50s 21-7 although they arguably didn’t get bang for their buck. Alex Pearce benefited from a 50m penalty to boot a rare goal, his first in the AFL since 2015, before retiring veteran David Mundy kicked truly on the siren put the top-four hopefuls up by one point at the last change.

After Andy Brayshaw's goal early in the fourth, Jacob Hopper kicked a pair of goals to put the GIANTS up, but Ash spurned his chance and Fremantle booted the final four goals of the game to pull clear.

GIANTS   4.3    7.4    8.7       10.9 (69)
FREMANTLE     2.2    5.5    8.8       13.11 (89) 

GOALS  

GIANTS: Hogan 3, Hopper 2, Whitfield, Ward, Green, Riccardi, Taranto
Fremantle: Walters 3, O'Driscoll 2, Brayshaw 2, Brodie, Pearce, Mundy, Clark, Schultz, Serong

BEST  

GIANTS: Taylor, Perryman, Hogan, Cumming, Hopper, Green
Fremantle: Serong, Brodie, Walters, Young, Pearce, Acres, Mundy

INJURIES  

GIANTS: Nil
Fremantle: Nil 

LATE CHANGES 

GIANTS: Nil
Fremantle: Griffin Logue replaced in selected side by Bailey Banfield

SUBSTITUTES  

GIANTS: Cooper Hamilton (unused)
Fremantle: Darcy Tucker (unused)