David King says Fremantle’s drastic change could see them claim a long-awaited flag

RARELY do we see drastic change but Ross Lyon’s modifications concede the previous method wasn’t conducive to ultimate success.

EVERY off-season provides change.

The strugglers tend to copy methods used by the premier and contenders from the previous season. Personnel changes are the norm and with free agency in full swing, list flaws can be addressed with immediacy.

But rarely seen is drastic change from the premier or the runner-up. Ross Lyon’s modifications exude bravery, but they also concede that the previous method wasn’t conducive to snaring the ultimate success.

Lyon wants two more goals per game and so far they’ve found them, with the Dockers averaging 101 points per game - up 10 points on last season. Fremantle are playing with far more aggression out of the back line and are more prepared to back their elite midfielders’ kicking skills.

David Mundy, Daniel Pearce, Stephen Hill, Paul Duffield and Michael Johnson are the designated kickers - the executioners. In the past they’ve been required to play safe and control the speed of the game, allowing for the defence to settle.

Fremantle’s executioners now kick into dangerous and vulnerable areas of the field, firing darts into the corridor. Their teammates are instructed to feed them the ball at every opportunity.

Lyon has done away with the chip, chip football off half-back. In 2013 they averaged 60 marks in the defensive half, but that has been slashed to just 41 this season. It is a massive reduction as they look to inject more speed into their offence.

Hello “New Ross”, goodbye “Boring Ross”. News_Rich_Media: Hayden Ballantyne has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Fremantle until the end of the 2017 season; the 26 year old says it was an easy decision to sign a new deal.

Last year under Boring Ross Fremantle took an average 6.5 possessions to get the pill inside 50m - ranked 15th in the AFL. Under New Ross the Dockers rank No.1 at playing fast footy, averaging less than five disposals per inside 50m. They are far more daring.

Of course, any assessments of these changes can’t be drawn from defeating an undermanned Collingwood or a young Gold Coast in the wet. Tonight, Hawthorn’s team defence will give “New Ross” the examination he’s looking for. Have they bitten off too much? Will their aggression stack up against a genuine contender? Do they need to tweak? Can they get more inventive?

Fremantle will learn more than Hawthorn tonight. The Hawks are the best in the competition with ball in hand. Anytime they either win a stoppage of force a turnover they make you pay for your ineptitude. Fremantle coughed up an average of 40 points per game from turnovers last season and what that figure is tonight is all-important.

For viewing’s sake I hope New Ross is successful because aggressive, high-scoring and adventurous football is far more entertaining than what Boring Ross has in mind.

The Hawks without Luke Hodge are an interesting proposition. Hodge is the organiser, the standard setter and a one-man wall. Which player steps up to take that mantle in his absence?News_Rich_Media: AFL 360's David King and Mark Maclure discuss the change in umpiring this season which has seen far fewer free kicks awarded.

Al Clarkson will be watching and wondering as birth certificates don’t matter, titles of leadership are irrelevant and accolades are parked. In this side, anyone from the inexperienced Brad Hill-types to the most experienced campaigners are able to show the way. Deep down I bet Clarkson is hoping for a youngster to assume control.

The battle of moments was won by Hawthorn in the Grand Final and well-documented has been the set-shot failure of Nathan Fyfe and the fumbling of Hayden Ballantyne. That opportunity is gone, but some of the Dockers need a performance on the AFL’s most prestigious turf, the MCG.

Matthew Pavlich has 24 goals from his last five MCG visits, but the support crew fall away alarmingly. Fremantle has only averaged 12 goals per game there and this must change if it is to achieve anything significant.

Ballantyne averages three shots per visit and Michael Walters, potentially Fremantle’s best player, averages almost two goals per game at the mecca of football.

A fit Aaron Sandilands should be an asset for the Dockers as he’s almost unstoppable at the hit-outs. But why can’t they score more effectively from stoppages given his dominance?

It is staggering to think that Fremantle has only scored 2.2 from centre bounce clearances over the first two rounds.

Against Collingwood in Round 1 Sandilands had 11 centre bounce hit outs yet only one went to advantage. The opposition rove to his taps and pick off the clearances. Surely Sandilands can be more unpredictable or consider smashing the ball forward for the midfielders to charge onto.News_Rich_Media: Essendon have a ruck dilemma after Paddy Ryder was subbed out with an ankle injury against Hawthorn.

Gerard Healy is a promoter or the “Sandilands Smash”. Not every time, but certainly more often than never. It may just be a secret weapon and given the New Ross approach, it would appear timely.

What is success for Ben McEvoy tonight? Is it negating the hit outs to advantage? Is it as simple as just competing as best he can or do they challenge McEvoy to push forward on Sandilands and force him to defend?

Could McEvoy kick two goals or more? If he can, then maybe it uncovers another previously hidden dimension for Clarkson which threatens the opposition to negate. We all know McEvoy is a terrific country style ruck who pushes back into defence hard to assist, but something tells me Al Clarkson wants more than that.

The Bombers exposed the Hawks last Friday night like we haven’t seen for some time. Through genuine harassment they forced Hawthorn into turnovers, particularly between the arcs, and they counter-punched with amazing success.

Essendon forced 12 midfield turnovers and sent eight of those immediately back inside their forward 50m for a net return of 4.2. For 20 minutes the Hawks had no answers.

While there will be a winner and loser on the scoreboard tonight the biggest result will be the intel gathered by both coaches. New Ross is very keen to see how this highly aggressive Fremantle rolls against the very best. Clarkson is looking for the same challenge Essendon offered, but for his side to give vastly different response.

Shaun Burgoyne stood tall in the dying moments when needed, but Clarkson would love to see some others, possibly some youngsters.

These two teams set the tone for the rest of the competition. Let’s all hope they play to their high scoring best because I really like New Ross.