Fremantle Dockers braced for Brisbane challenge to launch tilt for maiden AFL premiership

Australia Broadcast Center

8 hours ago

When Fremantle run out against Brisbane on Friday night, the sense of opportunity among the purple haze will be palpable.
Eleven wins from the Dockers past 12 games has them in fourth on the AFL ladder, and has instilled a belief they can win from any position.
Fremantle has trailed at three-quarter time in four of it's past five games, and gone on to win all of them.
Two of those teams, Collingwood and Hawthorn, are considered finals sides, with the Magpies a premiership contender up until recently.
The Dockers meet the Lions at an ideal time — the reigning premiers have lost two of their past three matches and one of those was an 11-goal thrashing by Gold Coast.
They are also missing dual-Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale, forward Kai Lohmann and defender Connor McKenna.
"Gold Coast got them, but then they bounce back really, really well," Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said.
"Their form on the road's been really strong this year. You know their game, much like ours, is built on contest and stoppage.
During it's recent run of form, the Dockers have managed to keep a lid on distractions to their process-driven mantra.
They've contended with a long-term injury to star midfielder Hayden Young and a frustrating lay-off for captain Alex Pearce, as well as the retirements of two of the greatest to pull on purple in Michael Walters and Nat Fyfe.
Longmuir's response to whether winning a flag would be the perfect send-off for Fyfe encapsulated how dialled in the Dockers are.
"Some of that talk is the talk that probably takes you away from what you need to do," he said.
"I think Fyfey summarised it really well the other day in his speech ... you just need to live in the moment and win every day."
Fremantle fans could be forgiven not getting ahead of themselves despite the Dockers lofty ladder position.
Burned into the psyche is last year's capitulation, which saw them fall from third to 10th in the final four games of the season, which understandably has fans a little distrustful.
Mathematically, and certainly not beyond the realms of possibility, the Dockers could still miss finals in 2025.
Their final two matches pit them against the Lions and the Western Bulldogs, who are ninth and still scrapping for a spot in September.
But this young Dockers squad, and yes they are still young despite a lot of games played, has shown a steel and resolve they haven't previously.
Finals, and top four, is theirs to lose, but current form suggests they have the mettle to get the job done.
A win at home in front of a packed house will go a long way to sealing the deal.
While Fremantle looks upwards, so does West Coast, and not because they are close to the top.
Because there are no other clubs to look down on.
The Eagles were gutsy in their loss to Adelaide at Perth Stadium, but it was a blip rather than a trend.
With two games remaining the Eagles have posted just one win for the season, and it's doubtful they will add a second.
Since the AFL era began in 1990, only three teams have finished with just one win — Sydney in 1993, Fitzroy in 1996 and GWS in 2013.
Through the middle of the season, the wooden-spooners showed signs Andrew McQualter's method was getting through to the playing squad.
Despite just the one win, the Eagles hung in against Geelong, pushed Collingwood and Carlton, and fell just short of beating fellow strugglers North Melbourne.
But the wheels have since fallen off — thrashed by Richmond, Fremantle and Melbourne in consecutive weeks.
The Eagles have challenges across the board, including the likely departure of co-captain Oscar Allen, and the uncertain future of emerging star Harley Reid.
Add to that the suspension of the other co-captain Liam Duggan for the remaining two games, and the season can't finish fast enough.
McQualter must already be planning for next season, in which he'll be hoping Jake Waterman is fit, Reid is firing, and his youngsters have put in a big off-season.
There could also be a hint to who may lead the club in 2026 — Liam Baker, in his first season at the club and hot favourite to be best and fairest, will captain the side for games against the Western Bulldogs and Sydney.
The Eagles could do worse then put him in the role full-time next year.