Dockers vow to stand firm in AFL finals

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is confident his players will stand firm in the heat of this year’s AFL finals series, saying they know the game plan well and have belief in one another to get the job done.

The Dockers face a daunting trip to the MCG on Saturday night to face defending premiers Geelong in an elimination final.

Making the task tougher for Fremantle is the absence of key defender Luke McPharlin, who is set to miss up to three weeks with a hamstring injury.

Geelong were also dealt a big blow after classy forward Steve Johnson accepted a one-match ban for his off-the-ball bump on Sydney’s Dan Hannebery.

Fremantle enter the finals series in hot form after winning eight of their past nine games, and Lyon felt his group were well placed to cause an upset on enemy territory.

“There is no next week for us if we lose. That’s the significant difference from home and away,” Lyon said.

“It gets really acute and it’s high pressure.

“We’ll have some young players but we’re not overly concerned.

“We’ll stand up, I’ve got no doubt about that.

“We believe in our game plan, we believe in each other, and we’re really looking forward to the challenge at the MCG when that ball’s bounced.

“I’m really excited. I really believe in this group. It’s a great challenge, but one we’re up for.”

Geelong have won three of the past five premierships, but Lyon said that meant nothing heading into this year’s finals series.

In contrast to the Cats’ vast experience, Fremantle have played off in just one finals series since reaching the preliminary final in 2006.

Nevertheless, Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich felt the Dockers’ player group was now better placed than the one Geelong comprehensively beat by 69 points in the 2010 semi-finals.

“The personnel has certainly changed, but generically speaking, I think the group is better off in the sense of understanding exactly how we want to play,” Pavlich said.

“The guys have matured in their own bodies and certainly have understood Ross’s game plan.

“We’re well positioned, but we clearly know we’ve got a pretty good opposition up against us as well.

“We know it’s an elimination and we’ll certainly be throwing everything at that.”

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