On the end of the disastrous St Kilda showing it’s been a long fortnight for Ross Lyon and his Fremantle footballers – and Thursday night’s contest can’t come around quick enough.

But that’s fine by Marc Murphy and his Carlton types, all of whom are up for the scrap with a ferocious “Freo” at Patersons Stadium in the wake of the meritorious North win.

While the Blues’ brainstrust  must source replacements for the suspended Mitch Robinson and the sidelined Andrejs Everritt, Fremantle is in the invidious position of regaining Hayden Ballantyne, Stephen Hill, Aaron Sandilands and possibly even Luke McPharlin for the contest.

Clearly, the Dockers’ starting 18 will be formidable.

Everybody knows that Sandilands’ sizeable presence affords Fremantle “first hands”, but in saying that the team is no one-trick pony. The Dockers are currently ranked equal second for contested marks and when they hit the scoreboard they do so with alarming precision, boasting a goalkicking accuracy percentage of 50.6 per cent, second only to Hawthorn in the comp.

Throw in the proven matchwinner Nat Fyfe (six in the League for contested possessions), the power midfielder David Mundy (club leader for kicks, disposals and tackles) and the third-year Lyon prototype Lachie Neale,  and it’s clear Fremantle at home serves as a massive challenge for a Carlton team taking to Subi’s wide open spaces.