Corey Wagner says he is ready to play another month of footy and isn’t considering any other outcomes ahead of this weekend’s do-or-die clash at Marvel Stadium.
The Dockers head into this weekend’s sudden-death match against the eighth-ranked Western Bulldogs as underdogs following last weekend’s 57-point thrashing at home against reigning premiers, Brisbane.
Fremantle could just as easily make the top four as they could drop out of finals, with the final top eight riding on numerous results this weekend, with one win separating Geelong in second through to Fremantle in seventh.
However, Wagner told SportFM he is prepared to play another month of footy, and isn’t thinking about the alternative.
“You don’t want to think of it that way. The fact that we could be out next week, it’s such a bizarre feeling because you’re nearly ready for another month of footy,” he said.
“That’s how it’s been prepared all year and that’s how we’ve been playing. It would be so bizarre if it were the other way around.
“We have a good team. It’s crazy to think that we can even still be top four. You’ve just got to get the win.”
In the lead-up, Fremantle has faced plenty of external pressure in the lead-up, despite sitting ahead of the Bulldogs on the ladder on 15 wins – nine of them coming after the bye.
However, coach Justin Longmuir told the media on Wednesday that he and the players are not feeding into this external noise surrounding Sunday’s match.
Wagner says Longmuir’s firm messaging and belief are holding the playing group in good stead.
“It’s really good to hear the coach having a lot of confidence in you and his players, and that’s been his message all week, with media blowing up like we’ve had a bad year,” he said.
“We’ve had 15 wins, and if someone loses, they’re going to miss out on the finals. We’ve travelled awesome this year, I’m pretty sure we’ve won in every state, so that’s given us more confidence.
“It’s really good belief to have in the four walls if you’re not really listening to anything outside.”
Last weekend, the Bulldogs demolished West Coast by 94 points in a strong offensive display that saw them kick 19.12.126 from 58 inside 50s.
The Western Bulldogs top the league in goals kicked, with an average of 16.1 across the season. However, Fremantle were able to beat the Western Bulldogs by 16 points earlier this season, holding them to 12.9.
Wagner says taking a similar defensive approach is key to beating their opponent.
“We know they’re just all about their offence and going quick and getting the ball through the hand, kick marks, pretty much what the Lions did on the weekend,” he said.
“It’s all about team defence and then countering that and going quick because they’re not too good on the other side of that.
“If we can get exactly what we did on the weekend right, I’m pretty sure we’ll be in good hands, and the confidence and belief is there on our end.”
IMAGE: Fremantle Dockers Website