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Brave Docker’s vow

Docker Garrick Ibbotson speaks with Major Henry Fijolek at the Army Museum in Fremantle yesterday ahead of the clash with the Swans.

Garrick Ibbotson is willing to put his body on the line again to thwart Sydney forwards Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett, but says any defensive heroics will count for little if Fremantle lose the midfield war at Domain Stadium tonight.

The 27-year-old was brave in holding together an undermanned back line missing All-Australians Luke McPharlin and Michael Johnson during last year’s qualifying final loss to the Swans at ANZ Stadium.

Ibbotson took five marks and finished with 22 disposals in one of his best matches of the season as he continually dropped in front of a leading Franklin.

It was only when Sydney’s million-dollar man pushed up the ground for the start of the final quarter, enabling him to kick two goals in less than three minutes, that the game turned on its head.

McPharlin and Johnson are now fit and firing for tonight’s Anzac Day blockbuster, which will mark Fremantle’s 20th annual Len Hall tribute match and the 100-year centenary of the Gallipoli landing.

But Ibbotson said the club’s star midfield would ultimately decide whether the Dockers recorded their best start to a season in five years. Fremantle have not won their first four matches since 2010.

“We did well missing a couple of key backs at the time,” Ibbotson said of last year’s losing final.

“It obviously didn’t finish the way we’d like it to, but it gives us some good preparation going into this week.

“It (my contested marking) is something that I practice a lot. I’m ready to do it again.

“One-on-ones are always hard to defend no matter who you are.

“It always helps having midfield pressure. We speak a lot about that it’s going to be a big midfield game this weekend.

“No matter who your defenders are and how many you’ve got down there, you’re never going to be able to stop a forward like Franklin if the ball’s being walked out of the midfield. It starts in the midfield.”

Ibbotson, whose great grandfather fought abroad for Australia, visited the Army Museum of WA in Fremantle yesterday to meet Major Henry Fijolek, who will toss the coin tonight.

Ibbotson also said:

Fremantle had embraced the hype around tonight’s match being billed as one of the games of the season.

Conceded missing the 2013 grand final and much of last season with Achilles and shoulder injuries was a strong motivation.

He still had work to do to cement a spot in the best 22.

Cited full confidence in his reconstructed right shoulder after the first three games.

Neglecting Sydney’s lower-profile forwards would spell peril, listing first-round draft pick Isaac Heeney, Gary Rohan and Lewis Jetta as weapons.

“They’ve got some serious leg speed,” Ibbotson said.

“There’s threats all over the ground for them. That’s why they’ve been such a good side for such a long time.”