FREMANTLE is confident higher intensity training this week will be just what it needs to overcome the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

The large expanses of Subiaco Oval should suit the Western Bulldogs, but Fremantle assistant coach Chris Scott is confident the harder work done this week will pay off and begin the club's revival.

"We play the big ground every second week so we realise it requires a running side,” Scott said. “We've been working on bringing in guys that gives us that, but are also mindful that it's one of the Bulldogs’ strengths as well.

"We've identified that we would like to train with more intensity, but that's more trying to replicate the game intensity, more than getting extra work into the players. We feel we've done the work now and will lighten off leading into the game on Sunday."

After a better game with East Fremantle in the WAFL last weekend, Brett Peake looks set to return to add some running power, with Roger Hayden back from injury.

The coaching staff is weighing up whether to play either Adam Campbell or Kepler Bradley, to bring Robert Warnock in and whether Heath Black will find match conditioning and form quicker by coming back to play the Bulldogs or to spend more time in the WAFL.

Campbell kicked 10 goals for West Perth last week and Bradley has been consistent at centre half-forward for the same WAFL team, but Fremantle is still unsure which one, or if both, will play.

"It's a possibility that we could stretch their defence, but the balance is if they aren’t marking the ball those guys can become liabilities,” Scott said. “We understand that one of the Bulldogs’ strengths is to run the ball out of their defence. If we do try to stretch them, it will work for us if they take some marks; if they don’t it will work for them.

"Adam kicked 10 goals, so he has certainly put his hand up, but whether he's the type of player we need for this opposition we haven’t decided yet. One of the things working in Kepler's favour is that he's shown an ability to go into the ruck, so he gives us a little more versatility and he's a good runner for his height."

Warnock hasn’t been in blistering form in the WAFL for West Perth, but Fremantle do want to bring him into the side sooner rather than later, while Black's fitness remains a concern. He will play with South Fremantle again if not included in Fremantle's side.

"We are keen to get Robbie into the side, there's no secret about that and he played better on the weekend, but the reality is he hasn’t been playing well enough at WAFL level," Scott said.
Fremantle’s concerns with Black’s fitness stem from the 28 year old’s post season surgery as well as concussion sustained in round one against Collingwood that saw him sidelined for a week before again being forced to the sideline with a thigh injury after round three.

"Heath didn’t train much through the pre-season and I'm not having a go at him, but we aren’t happy with his preparation and it's going to take him a bit of time to get back to his best. We just need to get as much football into him as we can," Scott said.