Fremantle Dockers forced to move training indoors due to lightning in build up to Western Bulldogs clash

Perth’s wild weather has forced Fremantle to make a major change to their training session ahead of an extraordinary final round, forced to move indoors due to lightning on Tuesday morning. The Dockers have a massive game against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, which they must win to stay in the top eight and play finals. But instead of starting their preparations with their usual session which involved recovery, some ball work and small games on the training field, players had to train on the basketball courts at Cockburn ARC due to electrical storms in the area. There’s an irony that Fremantle had to move inside because there would have been little benefit of training in wet conditions given they will be playing the Bulldogs in perfect conditions under the closed roof at Marvel Stadium. Remaining indoors has meant they can work on their normal skills. Marvel Stadium hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Fremantle recently. They were belted by 61 points when they played against St Kilda at the venue earlier this season and had no answers to the Bulldogs’ dominance during 2024 when they lost by 67 points. The Bulldogs are masters of playing at Marvel Stadium, with coach Luke Beveridge setting up the team to relish the fast and dry conditions. The team’s ability to handball their way to victory has been a feature of their performances at the ground, along with tall forwards wreaking havoc in the air. The Bulldogs have a 10-2 record at Marvel Stadium this season and thrashed West Coast under the roof by 94 points on Sunday. That effort followed successive 93 and 91-point wins over Essendon, an 88-point mauling of Greater Western Sydney, 72 and 71-point victories over St Kilda and a 79-point win over Richmond this season.