Fremantle midfielder Andrew Brayshaw has urged teammates to undertake a proactive mindset in a bid to “throw the first punch” of their Good Friday conflict with Adelaide.
Slow begins had been an enormous downside for the Dockers final 12 months – once they trailed at quarter-time in 17 of 23 matches and missed the finals – and the pattern has continued this season.
Consecutive wins to open the brand new marketing campaign have come the laborious method, with Justin Longmuir’s aspect clawing again from important early deficits of 25 and 33 factors in opposition to Brisbane and North Melbourne respectively.
Fremantle host Adelaide at Optus Stadium on Friday, with the 0-2 Crows determined to get off the mark for 2024.
“We have to have a really proactive mindset … in that first quarter we’re going to try to throw the first punch,” Brayshaw advised AAP.
“(We need to) be really physical, be really aggressive and try to score early in the first quarter.”
Brayshaw conceded that the rebuilding North Melbourne had been far hungrier than the Dockers throughout the first half final week and “sliced us up” by way of the hall for nearly an hour.
But Fremantle drew on their round-one expertise, once they fought again to knock off final 12 months’s crushed grand finalists Brisbane.
They turned the tide earlier than halftime in opposition to the Kangaroos and kicked seven consecutive targets within the third quarter after taking management of the midfield battle.
“We took a lot of confidence out of (round one), and probably last year … in situations like that we might’ve started to second-guess ourselves and go away from our brand,” Brayshaw stated.
“But particularly after (round one) we knew that our way could get it done, so we just stuck to our guns.
“We’ve proven now that we’ve not had quick begins however we’re capable of wrestle it again our method.
“They haven’t been the prettiest wins, but they’ve been wins nonetheless, so that will give us confidence.”
Fremantle have gained the opening two video games of a season for the primary time since 2015, once they claimed the minor premiership beneath Longmuir’s predecessor Ross Lyon.
Brayshaw insists the Dockers aren’t about to relaxation on their laurels.
“It’s a good start. It’s the position we want to be in with a couple of wins early, but we don’t get any credits going into this week,” Brayshaw stated.
“Adelaide are going to be really hungry and they’re going to be physical and try to be really aggressive and attack us from the first bounce.
“We’ll be how we are able to enhance – and there is a lot to enhance on.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
