<p>The Dockers are the form team of the competition and are finishing the season with a real surge.</p> <p>They’ve won nine of their last ten games and now sit nicely at 13-6. Still, their position is a little precarious — they're seventh on the ladder and locked in a four-way tie on 52 points.</p> <p>The return of Hayden Young to the midfield over the past couple of weeks has added serious firepower, and suddenly, Freo is looking like a genuine purple force.</p> <p>Their much-debated two-ruck setup is finally clicking, with both Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy playing key roles in the Dockers’ late-season push.</p> <p>While things are going well, you get the feeling this is one Freo had circled on the calendar for a while. Carlton might be limping to the finish line right now, but historically, the Blues have been a tough nut for Justin Longmuir and the Dockers to crack.</p> <p>And let’s be honest — these matchups have delivered some strange finishes in recent years.</p> <p>Who could forget Newnes after the siren? Or Harry McKay slotting 7.5 and almost single-handedly having more scoring shots than Freo.</p> <p>Then there was the time Freo hosted Carlton at the MCG cos they were locked out of returning to Perth, and then to top it off, all the Gather Round shenanigans last year. It's been anything but straightforward when these two sides meet.</p> <p>But this time around, it feels like a different vibe — especially for the Blues. They’re counting down the days until this nightmare season wraps up, when everyone can book a holiday (and maybe even request a trade while they’re at it).</p> <p>Last week, Carlton failed to send off a club great in style, going down by 24 points to Hawthorn in Sam Docherty’s farewell game. They were blown out early and never looked like recovering.</p> <p>It’s a prime opportunity for the Dockers to cash in and finally put some Navy Blue ghosts to rest.</p> <p>In terms of team selection, this could be the week that captain Alex Pearce makes his long-awaited return from a shin injury that’s limited him to just one game since Round 11. Corey Wagner is also in the mix after missing the derby with heel bruising.</p> <p>Dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe is also pushing for a return, although he may come back via the WAFL first.</p> <p>On the Blues’ side, the injury carnage continues. Reports suggest both Charlie Curnow and Adam Cerra will miss the clash due to various niggles and soreness.</p> <p>They may bring Jesse Motlop or Ollie Hollands back in, and there's a chance David Cuningham returns after clearing concussion protocols following that big hit from Steven May. Flynn Young is also available again after a minor foot sprain ruled him out against Hawthorn.</p> <p>The Carlton reserves had the week off, but don’t be surprised if Billy Wilson or Jordan Boyd are among the first considered to step in for the retired Docherty.</p> <p>For the latest team news, analysis, odds, and betting tips, check out our full Dockers vs Blues preview below.</p> <p><br /> &nbsp;</p> <h2>Fremantle vs Carlton Predicted Teams</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Fremantle Predicted Team List</h3> <p>B: Luke Ryan, Alex Pearce, Karl Worner</p> <p>HB: Heath Chapman, Brennan Cox, Jordan Clark</p> <p>C: Jaeger O’Meara, Shai Bolton, Nathn O’Driscoll</p> <p>HF: Sam Switkowski, Pat Voss, Michael Fredrick</p> <p>F: Jye Amiss, Josh Treacy, Corey Wagner</p> <p>Foll: Luke Jackson, Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw</p> <p>Int: Sean Darcy, Murphy Reid, Bailey Banfield, Hayden Young, Neil Erasmus</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Carlton Predicted Team List</h3> <p>B: Nick Haynes, Jacob Weitering, Matt Carroll</p> <p>HB: Lachie Cowan, Harry O’Farrell, Jordan Boyd</p> <p>C: Ollie Hollands, Patrick Cripps, Lucas Camporeale</p> <p>HF: Lachie Fogarty, Tom De Koning, Ashton Moir</p> <p>F: Jesse Motlop, Harry McKay, Will White</p> <p>Foll: Marc Pittonet, George Hewett, Cooper Lord</p> <p>Int: Flynn Young, Zac Williams, Blake Acres, Adam Saad, Harry Charleson</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Fremantle vs Carlton Prediction &amp; Betting Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Head-to-Head Prediction</h3> <p>The Blues have had their way with the Dockers, winning seven of their past 10 head-to-head.</p> <p>But this is a very different Carlton team, and the flaky Dockers that have always faltered to the Blues in the past have a different edge to them this year.</p> <p>Over the past month, they have become among the best ball-movement teams in the competition, a stark contrast to earlier this year when they were being criticised for being boring.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Blues have struggled to kick more than eight goals in a game this season, which makes sense when you keep kicking the ball to the opposition. They keep getting haunted by the same issues. A laborious game style, and they cannot kick, which gives their opponents many, many opportunities to score off turnover. Which they do.&nbsp;</p> <p>Expect the Dockers to follow the same pattern and continue their quest for a top-four finish.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/fremantle-v-carlton-9433227">Dockers</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>First Goal Prediction</h3> <p>The Blues' defence has been leaking in recent weeks after being relatively strong over the first half of the year.</p> <p>We suspect Weitering to go to Treacy and Haynes to take Pat Voss, which leaves Jye Amiss for youngster Harry O’Farrell.</p> <p>Amiss would be looking for a big game as the discussion goes on about his form and long-term place in the side. We’re backing him for a strong start to this one.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/fremantle-v-carlton-9433227">Jye Amiss</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Most Disposals Prediction</h3> <p>Jordan Clark would have had this game circled on his calendar for a long, long time.</p> <p>He was the one who was pinged for dissent at Gather Round last year, which ultimately decided the game for the Blues, and he’s been smarting to get back at them ever since.</p> <p>He’s been down in recent weeks, but he’s won his fair share of the ball this year off half back and driving the Dockers forward. We think he’ll be wound up for a big one here.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/fremantle-v-carlton-9433227">Jordan Clark 30+ disposals&nbsp;</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Fremantle Dockers vs Carlton Blues Match Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Date:</strong> Sunday, August 3, 2025</p> <p><strong>First Bounce:</strong> 5:10pm - AEST</p> <p><strong>Location:</strong> Optus Stadium, Perth</p> <p><strong>How to watch:</strong> Fox Footy/Kayo Sports</p>