The Bulldogs expect no easy possessions when they face off against Fremantle on Sunday at Etihad Stadium, with both team’s styles based around the contest and defensive pressure.  

Ryan Griffen anticipates a bruising encounter this weekend and while holding Fremantle in high regard said the Bulldogs are just as keen to battle it out.

“We both like to keep it at the contest, play a sort of hard, contested footy, so it should be a good game,” Griffen said.

“They are just so well structured and drilled, they all play a role for the team so we will definitely have to be on our game this week to have a crack at them.

“They are a fantastic side and the way they go about it, they sort of shut you down and your skills have to be on to get through their press.”

Griffen is likely to attract Fremantle tagger Ryan Crowley when the two teams meet but the Bulldogs captain is confident his teammates will help him combat the close attention.

“The last few times it has been Crowley… he is a great player and the way he goes about his footy, he is very professional and sticks to his task,” he said.

“I will need plenty of help from my teammates and if I get that hopefully I can get away from him.”

The Fremantle midfielder has earned a reputation as one of the most well respected run-with players in the competition and Griffen knows he has a challenging opponent ahead of him.

“He is a fantastic tagger and the way we goes about his business, he doesn’t mind to chirp a little bit which is pretty amusing,” he said.

“The way he goes about it, he’s very professional and I’m sure his teammates love him.”