THE CHANCE to derail arch-rival West Coast's top-two bid won't serve as extra motivation for Fremantle in the 48th Western Derby, emerging wingman Ed Langdon says.
Without spearhead Josh Kennedy and star midfielder Luke Shuey, the second-placed Eagles blew the chance to move two games clear of the chasing pack with a limp effort against North Melbourne in Hobart.
They will have to negotiate a tricky run home to secure two priceless home finals - the ideal launching pad for a premiership tilt – and the Dockers could throw a spanner in the works.
But Langdon said ending a run of six straight Western Derby defeats was already more than enough incentive for a youthful Freo line-up keen to finish 2018 strongly.
"A win for us would be more significant than a loss for them, in our eyes, so I think we'd be focusing on the impact on us rather than the impact on them," Langdon told AFL.com.au.
"It's obviously a significant game for WA football and the first derby this year at Optus Stadium was pretty special, and that certainly came down to the wire and I'm sure the same will happen (again).
"They've obviously had a super year, the Eagles, so we'll hope to try to get the wood back on them."
Langdon was outstanding with 26 disposals and two goals in round six as Freo pushed the Eagles all the way in a gripping eight-point defeat.
His potential battle with Brownlow Medal chance Andrew Gaff, who had 32 touches and six clearances last time, looms as a key match-up in the return bout.
"I love the way he (Gaff) plays. He's a pretty special player, and every chance I can get to play on him and if I can learn a thing or two off him it's probably a good thing," Langdon said.
"He does run hard and he's obviously quite a smart footballer and the way he built his game this year being able to move inside and certainly his outside prowess is noted.
"He's taken his game to another level this year and he's certainly not an easy bloke to play on."
West Coast has hosting rights this Sunday and the Optus Stadium record crowd of 57,616 for the Eagles' round eight top-of-the-table clash against Richmond could be broken.
While the rebuilding Dockers won't feature in September for a third straight year, Langdon will relish another chance to play in a finals-like atmosphere.
"Sixty-thousand [people] is a lot of noise and a lot of distractions, so I think all the young guys will be better off for it," he said.
"When it comes to finals footy it's going to be loud and the fans are certainly passionate, so it's invaluable experience and it's certainly fun to play in front of crowds like that."
Sunday's derby will see retrospective Ross Glendinning medals handed to six former Eagles and two ex-Dockers in recognition of best-on-ground performances from 1995 to 2000.
The first Glendinning-Allan Medal will then be presented post-match after inaugural Dockers captain Ben Allan's name was added to the gong, following a bitter stoush between the clubs in the build-up to the round six derby.
