A boring mantra has led to an exhilarating winning run at Fremantle, with the Dockers a chance to match a club record when they take on Essendon at the MCG on Sunday.
Fremantle notched their eighth win on the trot when they produced a devastating five-goal burst at the death to defeat Hawthorn by 15 points last Thursday.
The Dockers will set a new club winning record if they can follow up a win over Essendon on Sunday with victory at home to St Kilda the following Friday night.
Fremantle’s on-field play this season has been nothing short of electric, but they are purposely keeping their messaging to the public plain and measured.
It’s in stark contrast to the years between 2021-2025, when Fremantle publicly set themselves the goal of winning at least one flag in both their men’s and women’s programs, as well as three top-four finishes for each team.
None of that was achieved, and Fremantle have reverted to a “1-0” philosophy this season after every win they secure.
“Something we’ve been valuing inside the four walls is a week at a time and continue to reset,” Dockers forward Josh Treacy told AAP.
“Thankfully, we’re winning at the moment, but there’s still a long way to go.
“We have a mature confidence, rather than an arrogance that (we think) we’re going to come out and beat everyone.
“Clearly, every club and every player every year wants to come out and win the premiership, but ultimately, 17 teams fail every year.
“It’s something that’s clearly a massive challenge, and we’ll continue to chip away a week at a time to hopefully achieve that feat.”
The Dockers have only ever won nine games in a row twice in their history – when they claimed the minor premiership in 2015, and during their preliminary final year of 2006.
West Coast great Ben Cousins has already rated the current Dockers crop as the best in Fremantle’s history, and Fremantle will start as hot favourites against a struggling Essendon outfit that is nursing a 1-8 record.
The Dockers will be without skipper Alex Pearce for at least a week due to a knee injury, with Oscar McDonald named to replace him in the side.
Star midfielder Hayden Young has been ruled out of the next two games after being concussed at training, while Corey Wagner (abductor) will miss this week.
Nathan O’Driscoll and forward Chris Scerri come into the side.
Essendon called up Jye Caldwell and Will Setterfield to replace injured duo Dyson Sharp and Zak Johnson.