WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has put the heat on his team to beat Fremantle this weekend so the club avoids going back to Perth in week one of the finals. 

If Adelaide accounts for the Eagles at Adelaide Oval on Friday night and the Bulldogs beat the Dockers at Domain Stadium as expected on Sunday, the Dogs will secure a likely home elimination final against the Eagles at the MCG. 

Beveridge said the win over Freo wouldn't come easily as the home side will be out to make club great Matthew Pavlich's 353rd and final game a memorable one. 

The Bulldogs haven't beaten Fremantle in Perth since 2009. 

"We’d definitely rather have a Melbourne final, so it's pretty important (we win this week)," Beveridge said on Tuesday. 

"If ever a club and a team will be driven by sentiment it would be Fremantle with Matthew Pavlich playing his last game.

"We need to be ready for Fremantle's very best and I'd imagine (the emotion) will have some effect on the way they play."

With Fremantle to celebrate Pavlich's brilliant career post-match, Beveridge was unsure if the Dogs could pay homage to the six-time All Australian as the team's flight back to Melbourne wasn't long after the game.

The coach was also non-committal on whether dumped forward Jake Stringer had done enough in the VFL at the weekend to force his way back into the senior side.

Beveridge said the 2015 All Australian was disappointed with his demotion, but had responded with 21 disposals, nine tackles and a goal. 

"I think it stings any player when you're omitted and when you're not considered part of the best 22," Beveridge said. 

"It does hurt and it hurts the coaches having to give the message. 

"(Jake) really applied himself in the right way and we've just got to work out if it's enough to come back in ahead of the others."

Beveridge confirmed Marcus Bontempelli would captain the Dogs in the absence of injured stand-in skipper Easton Wood.