Two of the four remaining undefeated teams will clash on Saturday afternoon, with Fremantle to meet Carlton in what could be the best game of Gather Round.
The Dockers (3-0, 146.7%) have been one of the surprise packets of the AFL season so far, with their AFL-best defence making it tough for opposition teams to score.
But Justin Longmuir’s side faces its biggest test yet against the Blues (3-0, 125.1%), who are winning in different ways this year after a dramatic improvement in their ball movement and transition game.
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“It’s a better profile, a healthier profile that’s system-based and not just based on three or four brutes around the football,” Fox Footy’s David King said of the Blues on AFL 360.
“They are loaded … they’re ready to roll.
“What they’re doing now is going to take them further than what last year’s model did.”
The match gets underway at 4:20pm AEDT from Adelaide Oval.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl.
ROLLING MATCH UPDATES
As expected, we were treated to dream matchup between in-form key position stars Harry McKay and Alex Pearce.
The Blues were first to hit the scoreboard through Adam Cerra after a score review confirmed it was a goal.
It was a real arm wrestle in the first term in an enthralling battle between two loaded midfields.
Tom Emmett got the Dockers on the board, while Bailey Banfield made it two in a row for Justin Longmuir’s side to give it the lead.
Caleb Serong was uncharacteristically quiet early, yet to touch the footy midway through the first term.
Meanwhile Harry McKay missed a golden opportunity to kick a goal from point-blank ranage, instead playing on and dropping the bball while streaming into the big sticks.
“Harry what are you doing!?,” Hawthorn champion Jason Dunstall bemoaned afterwards.
The Dockers led 2.2 (14) to 2.1 (13) at quarter-time.
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