They’ve made a hot start to the AFL season, but Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says his charges won’t be satisfied until they achieve the ultimate goal – premiership success.
Fremantle made a straight-sets finals exit last year, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of tagger Ryan Crowley led many experts to tip a slide down the ladder this year for the club.
But the Dockers have shown their premiership window is far from over, recording impressive wins over top-four rivals Port Adelaide and Geelong during the opening two rounds.
Fremantle will start as hot favourites in Sunday’s western derby against West Coast at Domain Stadium.
The Dockers have won the past five derbies to take a stranglehold on the cross-town rivalry, but Lyon says his team are far from content.
“We’re a dog-hungry football club and there is no silverware in our cupboard,” Lyon said on Thursday.
“You need to win four points and lots of them to get a good starting position in the real season (the finals), so that’s the way we’re approaching it.”
West Coast have lost 14 of the past 18 derbies.
New coach Adam Simpson had his first taste of the rivalry last year – with his side’s inaccurate goalkicking costing them victory in both games.
“I didn’t like it – we didn’t win,” Simpson replied when asked about his initial derby experiences.
“We have got these guys twice a year and, just like every game, we strive for the four points.
“Unfortunately, the last five occasions, we haven’t got the chocolates.
“As we all know in these games, it doesn’t matter where you are on the ladder or what form you’re in, it brings out some special games. We’ll see how we go on the weekend.”
West Coast will be without injured forward Simon Tunbridge, while midfielder Scott Selwood will miss up to six weeks because of an ongoing ankle issue.
The Dockers will be minus star goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne, serving a two-week suspension for his high bump on Geelong’s Harry Taylor.
West Coast smashed Carlton by 69 points last week, with forward Josh Kennedy aiming to produce another big game following his 10-goal haul.
