FREMANTLE has learned its lessons this September and will look to impose itself early against Sydney on Friday night, with coach Justin Longmuir declaring the team will not be ambushed by the Swans' pressure and physicality in a blockbuster preliminary final. 

The Dockers made their best start to a final under Longmuir against Geelong last Friday night, setting up their win with an aggressive and physical mindset from the opening ball-up in a clear reversal from their qualifying final loss to Hawthorn. 

Longmuir said his players had no doubts around what would be required against the Swans, who overcame the loss of suspended stars Issac Heeney, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey to upset back-to-back premier Brisbane in their first final. 

"We're definitely not going up there and getting ambushed by what they're trying to do. We've seen it the last couple of weeks and seen it work really well," Longmuir said on Tuesday. 

"We've got some evidence of what they've been doing. They've been hunting the opposition (and) they've been playing a physical brand of footy. We expect the same brand. 

"We've got to make sure we impose our footy. Clearly we got on the front foot against Geelong, and we're needing the same mindset this week.

"Every team's trying to bring good pressure this time of the year. Every team's trying to hunt the opposition. There's ways to handle that through showing strength."

Longmuir said the Dockers were aware of the Swans' scoring power, despite their personnel issues, and they were clearly playing like a "galvanised" team. 

Fremantle has already spoken as a team about the absence of the suspended Swans – Heeney, Warner, Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice – and why the team should not be underestimated. 

"We've already done that. They dropped 141 points on Brisbane, who were the flag favourites. It's a wake-up call," the coach said. 

"They didn't seem to miss those guys. We just play what's in front of us and we've got a pretty strong process and we're just going to lean into that. 

"They're playing with great spirit, great physicality … we're going to have to go up there with a plan and be at the top of our game."

On the key match-ups, Longmuir said the Dockers would have plans in place for Sydney star Errol Gulden, who has averaged 39.3 disposals across his past six games and was dominant in the Swans' win against Brisbane. 

Key defender Brennan Cox and small defender Brandon Walker both trained with the main group on Tuesday to push their cases for selection. 

Longmuir said the match committee would be wary of taking underdone players into a preliminary final, but both had the opportunity to prove their fitness for a game where match-ups on livewire Tom Papley and the Swans' tall forwards would be critical. 

"Clearly their talls had a big impact against Brisbane and it's probably a taller forward line that they've played," Longmuir said.  

"Papley kicked five goals against Brisbane and he's a dangerous player and a fire starter for them.  

"He brings great energy and carry on after he kicks a goal, and we want to make sure we take that away from him. So we've got to get that match-up right."

Ruck Sean Darcy also trained on Tuesday and took part in match simulation after recovering from a knock to the knee. Speedy forward Chris Scerri and wingman Nathan O'Driscoll are others on the fringe of selection. 

Longmuir said the Dockers faced an extra layer of planning later this week, given players who miss AFL selection will then be in line to play in the WAFL Grand Final for Peel Thunder on Sunday afternoon. 

The coach said he had reflected with his group on how rare preliminary finals can be and the fact that there are no guarantees each season. 

"It can happen sometimes in footy. You think, 'Oh, we're a young group and next year is next year and it might not go our way'," the coach said.  

"So you've got to live in the moment and make sure that you make the most of each moment, and I haven't seen anything but that from our players. 

"It's a balance. We don't want to build it up too much and put too much pressure on the outcome. But we need to make sure that we make the most of the opportunity ahead of us. 

"That starts with training today and then getting to the airport tomorrow and then captain's run, and then making sure we're really well prepared for what is a dangerous Sydney Swans team."