Fremantle handed a dream start
From a marketing perspective, Fremantle can scarcely have been handed a better start to the 2013 season.
Their first four home games are blockbusters - a home derby against West Coast in round one, the round-three Friday night home game against Essendon, round five Friday night Len Hall Anzac commemoration match against Richmond and a round-seven Saturday night home game against competition giants Collingwood.
The Fremantle hierarchy will be anxious to increase their crowds again next season. They fared solidly in television ratings in 2012 but suffered a drop-off in home game attendances as against-the-gate live telecasts on Foxtel kicked in.
Fremantle’s first 10 weeks will be a test. The opponents include both grand finalists from 2012, the top four plus the Eagles, Richmond and Essendon. The middle of the season is solid but, provided the Dockers stay in touch, they would be optimistic about making ground late with GWS, Melbourne, Port Adelaide and St Kilda in the last four weeks.
Two games against hometown rival West Coast are genuine 50-50 matches given that both will figure in premiership calculations. Two games against Adelaide, who beat the Dockers three times in as many attempts last season, will also stiffen the season.
But the other three teams the Dockers face twice – Richmond, St Kilda and Melbourne, all missed finals.
Richmond loom as possible improvers. St Kilda will do well to hold ground. Who knows what to expect of Melbourne?
The Dockers’ travel burden is solid. A round-four trip to Aurora Stadium in Launceston where they were mauled this year by Hawthorn, and one to Simonds Stadium in Geelong in round 14, makes the list of away challenges look harder.
Fremantle’s round-five Len Hall clash means that the long haul to Tassie will be followed by a six-day break. A round-six clash against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium is a Saturday night game, meaning that the following week’s match against Collingwood at home – also on a Saturday night, might as well be a six-day break unless good flights home can be found.
Given their strong finish to 2012, the Dockers should expect no less than a top-six finish next year, and be optimistic about making the top four.
