Fremantle captain Alex Pearce has said he is expecting a hungry Fremantle side in Sunday’s RAC Derby as the Club chases its first win of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership season.

Speaking with hosts Mark Readings and Will Schofield on 6PR’s Wide World of Sports, Pearce said the players had taken on feedback from the loss to the Swans and were now focused on the Eagles.

“Obviously this game is a big one on the calendar for both teams regardless, but clearly now it’s one we really want to win,” Pearce said.

“We are really hungry to get our season off the mark this weekend.

“Clearly, they (RAC Derby games) mean a bit more, but given the context of our season, it’s clearly a game we need to win.

“They are always really physical. They are hard and tough.”

Reflecting on the Club’s heart-wrenching losses in a handful of recent fixtures dating back to the end of 2024, Pearce said the side had learned a lot from the experiences.

“A lot of the time, it’s not about the X’s and O’s and structures; it’s about making the right decision in the right moment and just doing what the game requires,” Pearce said.

“It is something we tried to work on over pre-season, but when it’s pre-season and you’re trying to recreate scenarios, it’s not the same as game-like; that pressure is just not there, so you have to go through the experiences (in actual games) to learn.

“We’ve still got some players who are inexperienced and need to go through these moments.

“We’ve learned some valuable lessons from the weekend, so it’s time for us to actually implement that and make sure that the next time we’re in these situations, we’re making better decisions, and we’re able to close them out when the game is on our terms.

Fremantle’s extended squad of 26 will be announced this afternoon, with the final team of 23 to be named at 2pm WST tomorrow.