ROSS Lyon has used Fremantle's 15-day break between matches to improve some of his team's stoppage set-ups ahead of Saturday night's clash with Gold Coast.
Lyon was frustrated early during Fremantle's 70-point drubbing of Collingwood in round one at his midfield's predictability at stoppages.
The Dockers had 21 more hit-outs than the Magpies thanks in large part to Aaron Sandilands' dominance, yet Collingwood won the clearances comfortably.
"First quarter we were predictable and got squeezed a bit," Lyon said.
"Aaron is really experienced and we’ve got enough experience in there that they need to be able to read the game and not wait for the little bloke in the pink top or the old angry bloke at quarter-time to come down and talk to them.
"I’d like them to adjust on the run and that's part of our maturing and understanding how to be successful. I’m really confident that the group’s learnt from that and they’ll be able to adjust."
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Lyon has used the extended break to drill specific instructions into his players.
"We’ve done line training, more of it, with a bit more access to the players," Lyon said.
"But nothing substitutes for the intensity of the game and opposition, physicality and pressure. So we’ll get to see on the weekend."
The Suns have lost all three meetings with the Dockers in their short history in the AFL and have never won at Patersons Stadium in four trips west.
But Lyon believes this is a different Gold Coast side to the ones he has seen previously.
"We understand they're a really talented list," Lyon said.
"Super talent everywhere and really well led by some senior players, like Michael Rischitelli and Gary Ablett. We understand there's a big challenge coming our way but we're pretty keen to accept the challenge."
Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna has already flagged that his team will try and use their running capacity on the wide expenses of Patersons Stadium.
Lyon has told his Dockers that Saturday night will be hard work as a result.
"Well, we'll just run hard," Lyon said.
"We train to run. We run hard. We go from start to finish."
