Fremantle's forward line has developed a "next man in" mentality this season and found a way to get the job done amid the constant changes it has faced, according to exciting youngster Michael Frederick. 

Combined with a focus on finding multiple avenues to goal, it's a mindset that should hold it in good stead when teenage forward Jye Amiss joins the group for just his second game in Saturday night's elimination final against the Western Bulldogs. 

Fremantle have balanced availability issues with key targets Matt Taberner, Rory Lobb and Griffin Logue in recent weeks, while important small forward Sam Switkowski has been restricted to 12 games. 

Captain Nat Fyfe was going to play as a third marking target on Saturday night before he suffered a hamstring injury, potentially ending the dual Brownlow medallist's season after seven games depending on how far the Dockers progress. 

Frederick, however, has played all but two matches this season, missing in round eight because of health and safety protocols and round 13 due to a club suspension that served as a valuable lesson after breaking the team's alcohol rules.  

The 22-year-old said Freo's depth in attack had been important and the forwards had become a team within a team under first-year forwards coach Jaymie Graham. 

"We haven't really been a settled six or seven this year and there's been guys like Griff come and play forward, Trav (Colyer) has been playing, and Bailey Banfield and Darcy Tucker as well," Frederick told AFL.com.au.

"It's been awesome to have a different group come in and perform the way we have this year, knowing we have that next man in mentality. 

"Everyone is pretty in tune and well connected out there and we have that understanding of what each other brings to the game, so it's easy to work with everyone."

Graham crossed from West Coast at the end of 2021 to take charge of the Dockers' forward line after spending his last two years with the Eagles as backline coach. 

He spoke to the Fremantle forwards quickly about the importance of having a strong relationship as a group in the same way defenders do if they wanted to have success. 

"We have that mindset now, a bit like a backline," Graham told AFL.com.au.

"Good backlines are really tight and when you're coming up against those types of backlines you need to be tight yourself and do it together and not just rely on one person to get the job done. 

"I think this year we had Tabs kick seven goals in a game, but apart from that it's been an even contribution, and they've been our better games, both as a team and a line."

A key to finding multiple avenues to goal, Graham said, is the small and medium forwards' ability to compete at ground level and apply pressure. 

The importance is amplified by the Dockers' mark rate when kicking inside 50, which ranks No.18 in the AFL, making their ground level players vital. 

Lachie Schultz has taken his pressure game to a new level in 2022 and ranks No.1 at Fremantle for tackles inside 50 (1.7 a game), while Switkowski, Frederick and Michael Walters all play important pressure roles. 

"When we do go into our meeting on a Monday morning, it's more about how we run defensively and what we do to cause a turnover," Walters told AFL.com.au.

"We celebrate the tackles, and we celebrate the score involvements. It's a different forward line and one I'm really enjoying being part of."

The Fremantle forward line is full of introverted characters but players who wear their heart on their sleeve on gameday and love celebrating others' success, Graham said. 

The addition of Amiss as the "next man in" on Saturday night will add youth and enthusiasm to a group that has been forced to adjust constantly this season.  

"They're a really connected group who have worked hard on that this year," Graham said.  

"The excitement you see is built on the fact we want to recognise and reward when someone else has done something well. 

"If we can reward that as a team, then we start seeing those acts more consistently. 

"We've tried to bring that into play and talk about how it doesn’t matter who kicks the goals, we just want to kick a winning score."

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