AFLW: Fremantle Dockers pair Phil Seth and Sarah Verrier excited for finals football but wary of Essendon

Fremantle are embracing the excitement of several AFLW finals debutants while conversely leaning on those with post-season experience as they plot their first finals win since 2022.

Three seasons have passed since the Dockers’ last finals win, and as they prepare to welcome Essendon to Fremantle Oval, the hunger to end their hoodoo is evident.

But despite the absence of Bombers star Bonnie Toogood, who has been ruled out for the season with a syndesmosis injury, the Dockers are wary of complacency in a game they will be favourites in.

Not counting missing trio Kiara Bowers, Ange Stannett and Aine Tighe, there were 11 survivors from the Dockers’ last finals appearance against the Crows in the 2022 preliminary final who also played in their final game of the home and away season.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are seven Dockers who helped Fremantle beat the Bulldogs last weekend but have yet to play a finals game.

Phil Seth was not part of the Fremantle side who thrashed North Melbourne at Arden Street in March 2022, but the experienced defender said the squad was ready to throw themselves into finals football.

“It’s definitely been a little bit of a hiatus since we’ve been back there, so after having a couple of years and not making it, it makes you that little bit more hungrier,” she said.

“We’re really excited to be back there again, under a complete new team — I’m pretty sure half the team haven’t experienced a final before, so I think it’s really exciting for them.

“For us that have a little bit of experience, we’ll be hoping to guide them through, but our mentality is trying to just take it game by game, and trying to prepare as normal.”

Sarah Verrier — who, along with Seth, will play her 50th AFLW game this weekend — played in the Dockers’ 2022 defeat to Adelaide, and said prior experience would be important against Essendon.

“I played a few when I was quite younger in my first few years. Having that experience is good, but having the experience of the older girls helps very much as well,” she said.

While Toogood’s omission due to her season-ending injury undoubtedly helps Fremantle, Verrier said they could not afford to be complacent.

“They’re a strong contested team. Especially in finals, it’s always going to be a fiery fight, so we’re definitely up for it, and we’re excited to take it on,” she said.

“When we review, we don’t look at one player in particular, we have a look at the whole side.

“Bonnie is a great player, and she’ll be missed for her team, but we’ve got a whole team to look after as well.”

Fremantle beat Essendon by 43 points back in round one, but Seth said that match held little relevance.

“Even though we do have a short season, that still seems like it was forever ago,” she said.

“I know we’ve changed a lot in how we’ve played since round one, and I’m sure they’ve done exactly the same.

“I think it will be a completely different game, plus the pressure of finals.

“We definitely want to take confidence from that, but at the same time, we completely respect that they’ve gone through a lot since then, showing a lot of resilience, and we’re expecting them to be up and firing.”