FREMANTLE coach Justin Longmuir says his team fell asleep in the dying stages of last week's heartbreaking loss to Sydney, and he's demanding an emphatic rebound in Sunday's critical western derby.
The Dockers slumped to a 0-2 record after conceding the last two goals of the match in a three-point defeat to Sydney.
Fremantle boasts one of the most talented young lists in the AFL but inconsistency cost it dearly in 2024 and is already affecting it this year.
"The gap between our best and worst is just too big at the moment," Longmuir said on Friday.
"We'll have some great periods of footy, which is the footy we want to play, and then we'll go to sleep for three or four minutes and allow Sydney last week to kick a couple in a row, which were pretty soft goals.
"We need to be on for 120 minutes. That's what this game demands. And if you want to be a good team, that's what you need to dish up."
Longmuir wants more bang for buck in attack after watching his team kick only nine goals from 59 inside 50s last week.
Small forward Isaiah Dudley has been handed an AFL debut for Sunday's clash with West Coast in what Longmuir hopes will make Fremantle's forward line more potent.
"We feel like we maybe need a bit more forward craft after the game on the weekend - 59 inside 50s and we didn't kick a winning score," Longmuir said.
"I feel like he (Dudley) adds a bit of class in the front half, and he can also pressure the opposition."
Bragging rights will be on the line during the western derby.
But for Fremantle, a loss would be a devastating blow to its hopes of landing a top-four berth and contending for this year's flag.
Longmuir doesn't want to put any extra pressure on his players.
"People are going to talk about my coaching career, or where we sit as a football club, or external expectations, all these sorts of things," Longmuir said.
"But it (this game) is important because it's the next game, and we're trying to improve our footy.
"Our footy hasn't been consistent enough. There's too big a gap between our best and worst, and that's what we're trying to improve on."
West Coast will be without star forward Jake Waterman (back) for a second straight week, but the return of Jack Graham (hip) is an important inclusion.
Jack Williams has also been included, with Clay Hall and Jack Petruccelle the two players to miss out following last week's 19-point loss to Brisbane.
Dockers defender Brandon Walker, who dislocated his left shoulder against the Swans, will undergo surgery next week in a procedure that will rule him out for two to three months.
