FREMANTLE'S AFL Women’s team has taken the unusual step of playing an AFLX game as part of its pre-season training. 

The Dockers chose to use AFLX as a form of high-intensity match simulation last Saturday, playing the modified version of the game on a smaller rectangular field with fewer players per side. 

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"It was my first time playing AFLX … it was really fast-paced, something new for all the girls," midfielder Gabby O'Sullivan told fremantlefc.com.au. 

"It was a really good chance to get some game play and a good training session in, a few 'kays' in the legs and test out our fitness." 

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Fremantle finished seventh of eight sides in both 2017 and last year, with injury impacting both campaigns. There has been an increased focus on skill development under new coach Trent Cooper. 

"We've been focusing the past few weeks on the fundamentals, and [while playing AFLX] I think we did a decent job of hitting our markers with kicking efficiency and our ability to take the game on," O’Sullivan said.

"We can take a lot of confidence out of that." 

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Fremantle's first game for the 2019 AFLW season is away against Melbourne, at Casey Fields in Melbourne’s outer-south-east.

"The girls are hanging out for the Christmas break – not to have a break and eat as much as they want – but because we know as soon as we come back, that's when the real stuff starts and we're just hanging out for February 3," O'Sullivan said.