Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge ahead of clash against Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is expecting a Fremantle side desperate for retribution at Marvel Stadium on Saturday in what’s been described as an eight-point clash between two finals aspirants. Beveridge felt his team’s performance in round six against the Dockers at Optus Stadium was their best of the season and something they’ve been searching to replicate ever since. The Bulldogs prevailed by 49 points in that one-sided Friday night thrashing and Beveridge has no doubt Justin Longmuir’s men will be looking to atone from that display. Fremantle have won five of their next eight matches since that Optus Stadium horror show, including a hard-fought victory over Essendon at home on Saturday night, to get their season back on track and climb within percentage of the top-eight. “We’ve been searching for similar application to what we produced in Perth that night,” Beveridge said. “That was probably our best game of the year I would’ve thought and Fremantle would probably acknowledge that and accept that they didn’t feel like they were at their best. “Fremantle will be after retribution so we’ve got to be ready for their intensity and that presents a challenge. “It’s not irrelevant and it’s in the memory banks but it’s a good one to remind us what we’re capable of. “Our team is probably a lot different to what their team was that night, I think we’ve got seven or eight different players and they’ve only got one or two so that’s a consideration. “But it shouldn’t matter too much, we’ll back in our system and the way we want to play and try to produce our best results.” Beveridge said he rates Freo’s engine-room brigade, led by impressive young guns Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw, highly. Dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe, who didn’t feature in round six, has been an important addition since coming back a couple of weeks later. “There was a period in the second quarter when we played them last time that Serong in particular started to have a real influence,” he recalled. “We really rate their inside-mid brigade, Andy Brayshaw is a sensational player, Jaeger O’Meara is really solid and an important contributor for them. “Nat Fyfe is now available to play in that midfield and they’ll find one other with (Neil) Erasmus going out, they’ll have another one going through there you’d think. “It will be a pivotal sub-plot to the game and hopefully our boys can be influential again.” Beveridge also address the shocking 2-11 record teams have coming off the bye this season, given the Bulldogs had a week off last week. “I know it’s there, yeah, but we’ve sort of ignored it,” he said. “The way we come in and out of the bye is to try and get enough training, depending on when your game is, post when you’ve played and before when you’re ready to play your next one. “I think that’s the best way to approach it for us. In the twilight of tomorrow afternoon, I’ll be able to tell you whether it’s worked this time.”