Dockers relish the pressure

Hawks the ultimate test

FREMANTLE speedster Lachie Neale says the Dockers’ undefeated run away from home will be tested by Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium tomorrow.

The Dockers are on top of the ladder with a 12-1 win-loss record and only a home loss to Richmond blotting their copy book.

Hawthorn is rarely beaten at Aurora and the fourthplaced Hawks will be just as tough for the early premiership favourite.

“We’ve had a couple of really good games against them and a couple that haven’t gone so well the last few times, but the past means nothing,” Neale said.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge because we still think they’re the best side out there at the moment.

“They’ve won back to back premierships and they’re playing some really good footy in past few weeks.

“There’s a couple of things we’re taking out of their game and trying to improve on that within ourselves as well.

“They’re the benchmark of the competition and we look forward to testing ourselves against them.”

Fremantle struggled to hold off Brisbane last weekend, but a solid final term got the Dockers home.

“Although we got away with a win, for the first three quarters we were a bit scratchy, especially our ball movement,” Neale said.

“We’ve been working on those things during the week and hopefully bring it all together on Sunday.”

The big, flat deck and arguably the best surface in the AFL will suit the aggressive Dockers.

“If we bring our pressure that we know we can do, and use the ball like we know we can, there’s no reason why the ground shouldn’t suit us,” Neale said.

Fremantle’s form suggests it could finish the home-andaway series on top of the ladder and claim a guaranteed home final.

“We’ve just got to stick to what’s got us in this position to start with,” Neale said.

“We’ve got to stick to the process and walk out on the weekend feeling confident that we’ve done the work.”

When he’s not playing football, Neale, 22, plays golf, studies commerce at the University of Notre Dame, and goes surfing.

“I’m a bit scared of the sharks over in WA at the moment so I haven’t been out for a little while,” he said.