Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich says every club supporter should be proud of the pre-season the players have put in.
Pavlich was speaking after the club's season launch at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday morning, which was attended by more than 800 guests.
Earlier, senior coach Ross Lyon had told Channel 7's Dennis Cometti that 21 players had achieved personal bests in the 3km time trial.
Pavlich agreed it had been a very positive pre-season that showed the players had bought in to the hard work required of them.
“All I know is we focus day in, day out on working hard, being resilient and being uncompromising,” he said.
“I know that this group is absolutely committed to the cause and our fans should be so proud of the work they’ve done in the pre-season.
“What it means at the end of the year? I wish I had a crystal ball, but it gives us half a chance to compete regularly.”
Pavlich also said the club’s key position stocks, which he said looked promising.
“The external view is that we have a bit of a void of key position players, but clearly it’s been the club’s interest and it’s been the mantra for a couple of seasons to draft young players in and develop them,” he said.
In (Matt) Taberner and (Michael) Apeness and (Alex) Pearce down back, and a few others, we’re in really good hands.
“I’m confident that, coupled with our ruck threats coming forward, it will be a handful for the opposition.”
Four-time All Australian ruckman Aaron Sandilands will be one of those threats.
He played almost exclusively as a forward in the club’s first intra-club game last Saturday.
Pavlich said it would require a balancing act between playing Sandilands in attack and in the ruck, where he has been so dominant for years.
“We’re going to have to use that to our advantage,” he said.
“Having him drop forward and take some marks, and not be out-marked, is something we’ll be looking at.”
