AFL Finals: Freemantle Dockers Brace for AFL 'War' With Sydney Swans

Fremantle AFL skipper Matthew Pavlich says he respects Sydney's culture, and how they go about their football.

Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich says his side are preparing for "footy war" ahead of Saturday night's AFL preliminary final against Sydney at Patersons Stadium.

The Dockers are strong favourites to win the match given their hot recent form and home ground advantage.

In contrast, Sydney have been ravaged by injuries, with key players Adam Goodes, Kurt Tippett, Rhyce Shaw, Tom Mitchell and Sam Reid all out of action.

However, Pavlich said the defending premiers shouldn't be taken lightly, especially given their reputation for playing a hard-nosed, contested brand of football.

"You admire a lot of teams in the AFL but certainly Sydney - their culture, leaders, the way they go about their business - we very much respect what they're about," Pavlich said on Thursday.

"And that's why we're preparing ourselves for what we call footy war, because it's going to go until the end.

"They are contested, big-bodied players.

"What they're about is exactly what we'd like to be about as well. We understand how hard a game it's going to be."

View Source