You're it! Dockers vow to be ready for St Kilda's taggers
Fremantle are adamant they will be ready for whatever tagging tactics St Kilda throw at them on Sunday as the Saints look to again take down Dockers stars Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw.
The Saints thrashed Fremantle in round eight after dominating the midfield and shutting both Brayshaw and Serong out of the match.
Serong managed only 15 disposals, while Brayshaw was restricted to 18 in the 61-point defeat.
Marcus Windhager's tagging job on Collingwood's Nick Daicos received plenty of attention over the weekend and versatile Docker Bailey Banfield said Fremantle would be ready for whatever comes their way.
'He's been doing a good job over the last couple of weeks. Ross does like a tagger, as I know. I'm not sure what their plans will be, but we will be ready for it, no matter what they throw at us,' Banfield said.
'Obviously there's been a bit going on with the Daicos stuff over the weekend.
'That's always a focus for us no matter who we're playing. Whether we've got a target player or they're targeting on of ours, we want to win as a 22 or 23. It's not up to one person. Marcus Windhager tagged Nick Daicos. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos / AFL Photos via Getty Images
'At our best, I think we're capable if Caleb or Andy is a little bit quiet. There's blokes who can stand up. You can't tag everyone.
'What Dogga's (Luke Jackson) doing in the ruck has been pretty special. You can't tag both Caleb and Andy. Then Fyfey comes in and does his thing as well. We're trying to build a really balanced group that you can't take everyone away.'
Fremantle's season swung significantly after losing to St Kilda. They held a series of meetings after that game to address key issues and the players totally changed their approach to games.
Those changes have seen the Dockers win their last five games. Banfield said it was up to everyone to continue that form and not fall into the trap of wanting revenge against St Kilda.
'From the back of that game we had some hard conversations. There was a little bit of a shift there,' he said.
'I don't think we're particularly focused on the Saints and their part of that game, it was more about what we brought to that game.
'We clearly weren't good enough on that day so we've been looking at what our behaviours were on that day that weren't good enough and what ha stacked up over the last three or four weeks that has been at a much higher standard.'
Sunday's match will be Fremantle's annual Starlight Purple Haze Game as the club raises money for the Starlight Children's Foundation.
The Dockers have raised $3.4 million through the Purple Haze game since its inception in 2003. Bailey Banfield models Fremantle's Starlight uniform. Credit: Riley Churchman / The West Australian
Banfield is a Starlight Ambassador and is excited to wear their Purple Haze jumper and put a smile on kids' faces.
'it's probably my favourite week of the year. It's really special,' Banfield said.
'To not only raise money but also to bring the kids on the journey. We've got five kids coming throughout the week. They'll come in on Thursday and they're a big part of the game day experience as well.
'They're kids we have seen throughout the year in the hospital. To bring them along, and their families as well, is really special.'
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