Fremantle to come out swinging to avoid another derby shock as they embrace new mindset as September run looms

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Fremantle to come out swinging to avoid another derby shock as they embrace new mindset as September run looms

Fremantle’s Michael Frederick says the Dockers are ready to ‘throw the first punch’ as they look to avoid another western derby shock as the livewire forward embraces a new mindset ahead of a tilt at September action.

The Dockers are back in the top four after a barnstorming 50-point win over Melbourne on Sunday, with Frederick believing it was one of their best performances of the season.

“It was awesome, we played a great front-half game and knowing what our best looks like and if we can replicate that it will hold us in good stead going forward,” he said on TAB Radio.

“We feel as a team our transition and connection have been growing, we’ve come a long way in the past few years.”

Much of their success is driven out of the middle, with Fremantle the number one clearance team in the competition with a season differential of plus-153.

For context, the next best is Brisbane on plus-54.

“Our midfielders getting the job done and getting the ball allows guys like Jye Amiss, Josh Treacy and Luke Jackson to win the ball in front of their opponents,” Frederick said.

“The past few weeks we’ve gone into games with the right mindset, we did all the cliched things but the way we played and the way we buy into playing our individual roles it took us a long way.”

Fremantle are rightly heavy favourites heading into this weekend’s derby against the beleaguered Eagles, but after their shock loss to their crosstown rivals earlier this season, they won’t be treating it lightly.

“Derbies every year can be unpredictable regardless of where you sit on the ladder, so we’ll want to get on the front foot and throw the first punch,” Frederick said.

“I didn’t play (the first one) so it was tough to watch I know we had an off game which you can’t afford in the AFL.

Camera IconMichael Frederick handballs against Melbourne. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

“We do a lot of mental skill sets to expect the unexpected and prepare for the worse so if we keep that mindset we should be ready to combat anything they throw at us.”

A win on the weekend could see the Dockers finish the round in second on the ladder, with Frederick saying there is no reason this team can’t create something special come September.

“There certainly is a sense of why not now, we’re a bit tired of saying we’re a young group because we know we’re good enough to match it with the best.”

“We need to treat these next five to six weeks as the most important a mindset like that will take us a long way.”

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