Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has declared the Dockers have given themselves the best possible chance to contend for a premiership by locking away a top two finish and all but securing the minor premiership, but vowed they still won’t get carried away in the remaining games.
And Longmuir also sent a clear warning to the rest of the league if they are considering following the Western Bulldogs’ lead by flooded in a bid to disrupt Fremantle’s scoring power saying quite simply “good luck”
The Dockers beat the Dogs 11.12 (78) to 5.11 (41) at Optus Stadium to claim a club record 18 wins.
They are four wins and 17 percentage points clear of second placed Sydney, and the Swans have four games left.
“It is a great achievement for the club. It has set our season up. It guarantees us top spot, or or at least top two. That’s what you you need to do to be able to be a true contender from this side of the country,” Longmuir said.
“I said to the players after the game, really well done on how we’ve set the season up. But we’re still on a journey and searching for our best footy. Over the last month, we haven’t played 120 minutes of footy, which is what it’s going to take in the finals.
“So we’re still on that journey. We will approach the season like we’re still in the finals hunt type mentality, where we’re still looking for improvement.”
The Dockers won the inside 50 battle 54-38 and fought through a wall of Bulldogs players. Dogs coach Luke Beveridge denied he came into the game with flooding tactics.
But Longmuir said anybody else who tried to flood will fail.
“Good luck,” he said.
“It’s probably more circumstantial for them. I don’t think we’ll face that sort of look in the finals.”