CARLTON coach Mick Malthouse is expecting a fired-up Fremantle on Thursday night, but he says the Dockers should not expect his side to roll over.

 

St Kilda thumped the Dockers to the tune of 58 points before the bye on the same weekend the Blues upset top-eight side North Melbourne.

 

Malthouse believes the Dockers' loss to the Saints could be viewed as "an absolute abnormality" however the veteran coach said that Fremantle should not presume it will instantly bounce back and belt the Blues.

 

"I don't think that you have an automatic right to think that you had a bad game and will come out and murder the (next) side the next week," Malthouse said.

 

"I think you've still got to do the hard work. We're over here to spoil the party.

 

"We haven't come here just to lay down because Fremantle got beaten by St Kilda last week.

 

"We've got a very competitive side."

 

The Blues have made three changes to the team that beat the Kangaroos by 23 points at Etihad Stadium a fortnight ago.

 

Troy Menzel did not recover from the bone bruising he suffered in his right knee and is sidelined alongside injured Andrejs Everitt and the suspended Mitch Robinson.

 

Veterans Andrew Carrazzo and Brock McLean return to the side, along with Blaine Johnson.

 

Malthouse said he was encouraged by the win over North Melbourne but he thinks his side still has a lot more improvement in them.

 

"It was probably the most consistent we have played, but I don't think it's the best we have played," Malthouse said.

 

"I made a comment a few weeks ago that some people were quite sceptical about, I think we are playing better footy than last year.

 

"We've clearly got to get better. We know we have to get better. But that game last week was one without (Andrew) Walker in the backline, we lost Everitt early and Menzel certainly wasn't at his best when he was injured.

 

"I thought it was a pretty good result."

 

The Blues have won two of their last three matches at Patersons Stadium and have beaten the Dockers the last two times they have met here back in 2011 and 2012. 

But the Dockers have won 19 of their past 20 matches at home.