The Cats are setting themselves for one of the most difficult trips in football on Friday night, but this time the stakes could not be higher as Geelong and Fremantle battle it out for a place in a Preliminary Final. 

The Dockers finished atop the ladder after a remarkable regular season, securing the minor premiership on the back of a 14-game winning streak through the middle of the year, ranking among the competition's top teams in most major statistics. 

But despite their dominance in the home-and-away season, Fremantle could not carry that form into the opening week of September as they were well handled by Hawthorn, falling to defeat in their Qualifying Final. 

The Hawks provided a blueprint of sorts with their defensive performance last week, holding the Dockers to just five goals and 40 total points for the match, but they will be looking to respond and it sets up a blockbuster clash on Friday night. 

Take a look through some of the standout stats from Fremantle's game, proudly presented by Deakin University. 

2026 Ladder 

Fremantle: 1st (19-4)
Geelong: 5th (15-8)

Finals Results

Qualifying Final - Fremantle 5.10 (40) def. by Hawthorn 10.12 (72)

Elimination Final - Geelong 14.23 (107) def. Carlton 11.8 (74)

Recent Games

2026, Round 15 - Fremantle 14.15 (99) def. Geelong 14.6 (90)
2026, Round 1 - Geelong 16.14 (110) def. Fremantle 14.16 (100)
2025, Round 1 - Geelong 23.9 (147) def. Fremantle 10.9 (69)
2024, Round 22 - Fremantle 9.8 (62) def. by Geelong 10.13 (73)

Deakin Performance Stat of the Week 

Forcing Fremantle Turnovers

The pressure is naturally ratcheted up in September and last week was telling, as Fremantle struggled to replicate their clean brand of football from the regular season and the Hawks were able to create plenty of turnovers in dangerous areas of the ground. 

Throughout the home-and-away season, the Dockers ranked as the number one team in the AFL for kicking efficiency and second for disposal efficiency, able to control the football for extended portions of the game and using that to transition from defence to attack. 

On paper, they actually controlled plenty of the major statistical categories against Hawthorn last week, leading the disposal count (+75), the inside 50s (+6), stoppage clearances (+4) and marks (+29). 

But what really stood out was the efficiency with Fremantle committing 84 turnovers for the game, well above their season average of 62.7 and far more than Hawthorn.

It also meant that the Dockers went at only 33.3% efficiency inside 50, again well down on their season average of 54.3%, generating just five goals from 57 entries. 

While they will undoubtedly be committed to improving this area of their game on Friday night, Geelong can certainly bring that same elite pressure from last week's victory over Carlton and can make life difficult for the Dockers in transition. 

Fremantle's Efficiency Inside 50

Keeping Shai Bolton Quiet

Fremantle has dangerous players across every line, ranging from Luke Jackson in the ruck, to the likes of Caleb Serong in the middle and Josh Treacy up forward. 

But Finals campaigns are built on moments, and while he does not accumulate as much of the footy as some of the Dockers' other stars, Shai Bolton is one of the competition's best impact players and can make every possession damaging. 

In the two clashes between the sides this year, Bolton averaged 17 disposals, seven score involvements and a goal per game, while also able to be injected into the midfield and win clearances as needed. 

With the ability to turn a game on its head in minutes, the Cats will need to find ways to nullify Bolton's impact throughout Friday night's clash, with his performance set to be crucial to the result. 

The Centre Clearance Battle 

Fremantle have a number of star midfielders capable of changing a game, winning or halving the clearance count in 16 of their games this year. 

Caleb Serong ranked 12th in the AFL for clearances in 2026, Luke Jackson was also within the competition's top 25 players, while Andy Brayshaw and Shai Bolton were also not very far behind. 

They were able to control this area of the game in both clashes with the Cats this year, finishing with an equal season-high of 18 centre clearances in Round 15, while also recording 17 centre clearances in Round 1. 

But again, Hawthorn proved how important this facet of the game is last week, restricting the Dockers to just five centre clearances, comfortably their lowest total of the season. 

Geelong have been solid around stoppages this year but will need to take that to another level on Friday night, in what is shaping up to be one of the most crucial battles within the match.