FREMANTLE veteran Luke McPharlin says his pointed comments in a half-time interview during the Dockers' clash with the Brisbane Lions should not have been made publicly.

The Dockers were level with the Lions at the main break after butchering opportunities in front of goal. Four set shots went to waste in the second term with Fremantle kicking two behinds and two out on the full.

"It goes down to poor preparation going into the game, we really need to have a look at that," McPharlin told Fox Footy when approached on the ground at half-time last Sunday.

"We do all the hard work to get it in there but didn't have the (quality) to finish.  

"Mayney (Chris Mayne) missed that crucial one and some stupid free kicks as well have cost us, so we'll have to get to work."

WATCH: Highlights - Dockers v Lions

A contrite McPharlin said on Tuesday that he shouldn't have aired his grievances in that moment, but said the Dockers were used to such feedback behind closed doors.

"Coming off the ground at half-time is a bit of whirlwind situation," McPharlin said. 

"I clarified (my comments) to the playing group today. I felt that it certainly wasn't the time to make those comments. We have those chats internally here, but off the back of that I don't think anyone thought too much of it.

"I made a few comments about the pre-match preparation. I haven't had a look back at the interview, but it was really around some of the basics and some of the undisciplined acts that we seemed to be making in that first half against Brisbane. 

"These are the chats and the conversations we have daily inside these four walls."

McPharlin said the Dockers could not afford such lapses against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium this Sunday, in what he described as "the game of the round". 

The Dockers have beaten Hawthorn just once under Ross Lyon, the round 21 clash last year at Domain Stadium. They have never beaten the Hawks in Launceston.

One thing in Fremantle's favour is that the Hawks will be without Jarryd Roughead.

The Hawks key forward did not play in round 21 last year. In the previous four meetings with Fremantle, Roughead averaged 18.5 disposals and kicked 12 goals, including two bags of four.  

But McPharlin said the premiers were still potent without Roughead.

"The scary thing about Hawthorn is they have so many avenues to goal," McPharlin said.

"Their smalls are more than capable, and Jack Gunston is a class player. So we'll have to look at that during the week and how we all match it all up." 

McPharlin will play his 250^th AFL game this week against the club where he started his career. But he said his 12 games for Hawthorn in 2000-01 seem like a lifetime ago and this week would be business as usual.