Fremantle AFL midfielder Michael Barlow’s response to last year’s grand final loss was to have a few beers, followed by a few more the next day.

And the next day.

The last thing he wanted to do was to watch a replay of the game.

Coach Ross Lyon had other ideas.

Barlow says Lyon’s track record, which includes lifting St Kilda to grand finals in 2009 and 2010, shows the Dockers’ mentor knows how to bounce back from September heartache.

The Dockers are relieved simply to get back onto the playing field again, beating Collingwood by 70 points in Friday night’s season-opener at Etihad Stadium.

“It was quite difficult. I avoided any replay or review of the game for quite a period of time,” Barlow told ABC Radio on Saturday.

“I probably had a few too many beers after the game and the couple of days (afterwards).

“I wouldn’t have watched the game if it wasn’t for Ross Lyon’s tutelage.

“He’s been there before and he knows how to get back there.

“To review the game and look at the hurt that we went through and just review the areas we could get better was really important.

“You’ve made a bit of peace with it when you could watch it and identify Hawthorn were harder at the contest for longer and deserved the 2013 premiership.”

Barlow said the Dockers had been forced to cope with an abbreviated pre-season because of grand-final commitments and also being drawn to play in the first week of round one, which is spread over two weekends.

The main thing for Barlow is that the journey towards a possible second consecutive grand-final appearance has finally begun.

“Just to get to (Friday night), we were over the moon,” the 71-game veteran said.

“Enough talk was done over the summer and enough speculation. We just wanted our football to do the talking.”