Fremantle Dockers coach Justin Longmuir demands consistency ahead of western derby against West Coast Eagles
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has laid down the challenge to his team to find consistency during games as quickly as possible, saying that will ultimately decide if they can contend this season.
The fourth placed Dockers blew Melbourne away last week to win by 50 points, but still had periods during that match where they lost control of the contest and allowed the Demons to kick multiple goals.
When asked if finding consistency would be the difference between being a contender and making up the numbers, Longmuir was emphatic.
“I think so. Absolutely,” Longmuir said.
“I think every team has moments in games where they don’t get the game on their terms, which is clear for everyone to see. It’s just how we handle those moments which has been a little bit disappointing at times.
“We’ve gone away from the things we can control, which we’ve been working really hard on. It’s been a theme all year.
![Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/C-15487684/694e030f4e23bb84fa02efba1214873ae566e503-16x9-x0y34w4000h2250.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
“Last year we were inconsistent game to game. I think we’ve been able to put a pretty reasonable product out there week in, week out. It’s just being able to strive for that consistency in game. We’ve talked about that this week.
“We’re not going to win every quarter on the scoreboard. But we can win it with the things we can control. And we’ve just got to keep trying to embed them and come back to them when the game is not on our terms.
“We played well, last week, but it wasn’t a four quarter performance. We’re trying to reach that level where we can put a consistent product out, quarter in, quarter out, and we didn’t do that last week. So we need to improve on that.”
The Dockers made two changes to the team that beat the Demons. Alex Pearce and Michael Walters couldn’t be considered due to injury which opened the door for Josh Draper and Tom Emmett to return.
Fremantle destroyed Melbourne in the midfield last week but they struggled to stop Elliot Yeo and Harley Reid in the most recent derby. Longmuir said the team had looked back on that derby and knew where they must improve.
![Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir with Jarrad Schofield and the derby trophy](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/C-15487684/18728943281c97b348cd1066edc6fe47b664ade0-16x9-x335y41w3665h2062.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
“Clearly clearance was important that night, and clearance has been one of our strengths and an important part of every game,” he said.
“There were contests all over the ground that we weren’t good enough in that night. So it’s not just on the mids. It’s on all of us.”
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