FREMANTLE could throw Connor Blakely his toughest tagging job yet on Dustin Martin, but the Dockers aren't ruling out a tantalising head-to-head battle between the Richmond star and Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe.
Blakely has been a revelation for Freo in his new run-with role since round three, clamping down on the likes of Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Ziebell and Luke Shuey.
On Sunday, the youngster shackled Zach Merrett after half-time, keeping the Essendon ball magnet to nine touches as the Dockers overran a tiring Bombers outfit to notch their fourth win.
But stopping Martin looms as Blakely's biggest challenge yet.
"Connor has done really well on some pretty damaging midfielders and on the weekend Merrett was getting away from us and Connor went to him and basically cut out his influence on the game," Dockers star Lachie Neale said.
"That might be an option (for Martin), but I'll leave that to (coach) Ross (Lyon) to sort out."
Martin is averaging 28 disposals and nearly two goals a game switching between playing in the engine room and deep forward, but Freo appears to have a midfield equipped to tame the Tiger.
"(Martin's) a great player, one of the best in the comp, so we're going to have to be switched on there," Neale said.
"I think we'll have a couple of options for (him).
"We know David (Mundy) and Nathan are big, strong bodies as well, so whether or not they just compete really fiercely against him and go one-on-one … we'll wait and see."
Sunday's clash at the MCG will be Neale's 100th game, a significant milestone after he doubted he would ever have the chance to play AFL.
Some recruiters had concerns about Neale's lack of pace, but Freo took a chance on the 177cm midfielder with pick 58 in the 2011 NAB AFL Draft and snared a bargain.
Neale won the Dockers' best and fairest last year after setting a new disposal record (737) in a season, and was elevated to the club's leadership group in February.
"I was a really late draft pick and came over here and settled really well," Neale said.
"The club has been fantastic the whole way through, so I'm really proud to play 100 games for this footy club.
"Heading into the (2011 draft) day I wasn't sure at all (if I would be picked up).
"You see most guys my size in the AFL are pretty quick and I don't have that lightning pace."
But Neale has an innate ability to find the football, and is averaging nearly 29 disposals this year despite coming off three bouts of off-season surgery on his shoulder, knee and wrist.
The 23-year-old racked up 40 touches for the seventh time in his career against the Bombers, and declared he is cherry-ripe after battling inflammation in his other knee in recent weeks.
"I've had a couple of injections but it's pulled up well after this week," he said.
"So hopefully I'm in the clear now."
