FREMANTLE defender Judd McVee will return for Friday night's blockbuster semi-final against Geelong at Optus Stadium, with coach Justin Longmuir promising a different looking Dockers team to the one that stumbled at its first September hurdle. 

McVee has played 21 games this season but has been dropped twice in the past month, with the ex-Melbourne recruit now earning a recall after his replacement Brandon Walker suffered an ankle injury in last Thursday's qualifying final loss to Hawthorn.

Longmuir, who was tight-lipped on what other changes could be made, said McVee would be encouraged to trust himself against Geelong while playing an important role in the backline against the Cats' dangerous half-forwards. 

"I think when he's playing his best footy, he's playing on instinct and just trusting his ability," Longmuir said on Thursday after the Dockers' final captain's run. 

"We've probably seen his contest drop away a little bit, and the pressure of others playing really well at Peel found him out of the team.

"When he's playing his best footy, he's working with his teammates well, he's trusting his read on the ball, and then trusting himself in the contest. The rest will flow off that."

Fremantle players are keen to "right some wrongs" on Friday night, Longmuir said, after succumbing to both the Hawks' pressure and the pressure of September football last Thursday night, missing the chance to secure a home preliminary final. 

Longmuir was part of a 2006 Fremantle team that rebounded from a qualifying final loss, as well as an assistant coach at Collingwood (2018) and West Coast (2011) when those teams made amends in week two. 

The key to making the most of a second chance in September and reaching a preliminary final was clear. 

"Don't panic … and that's what we spoke about earlier," the coach said. 

"Clearly there's a lot more at stake and a lot more outside noise, but I was really proud of the way we all owned the performance last week. We all learned from it and I'm really proud of the way they've bounced out of it. 

"We learned the lessons we needed to … we've trained well, set up some clear focuses and the players are keen to get out there and right some wrongs."

Longmuir said the Dockers were prepared for Geelong to throw different strategies at them on Friday night, including the possibility of tagging superstar Luke Jackson in the ruck and using multiple run-with midfielders. 

The teams have split the two games they've played this season, with Geelong coming from behind to win at GMHBA Stadium in round one before the Dockers did likewise at Optus Stadium in round 15, with Jackson dominant in that performance with 28 disposals, three goals and six clearances. 

"We've got no doubt they'll throw some different stuff at us. They do that week in, week out. Whether it's 'Jacko' or others, we expect them to run with a couple of tags," Longmuir said.  

"It's hard to tag in the ruck sometimes. It's hard to tag second efforts after a ruck contest, so we expect them to throw something at us, but Jacko's prepared for that.

"We expect him (Oisín Mullin) to run with someone … we've spoken about all those different scenarios. 

"We've got to just make sure that we're aware of those things and we just don't allow it to take us too far away from our footy as well. 

"I think the body of work, we should have a lot of confidence that we can handle the moment and handle what the game's going to throw at us. 

"We'll change some things up to make sure that we don't allow Geelong to get the game their own way, but we've got to lean in on the body of work that we've done and trust our way."

On Geelong's main weapons, Longmuir said the Dockers would have a clear match-up in mind for superstar skipper Patrick Dangerfield, while being wary of Jeremy Cameron whether he plays inside 50 or further up the ground.  

Asked how he had supported several of his own star players who come under scrutiny this week for their finals performances, Longmuir said the group had the tools needed to rebound.  

"They're big boys, and we own last week's performance. We owned it as coaches, we owned it as players, and I've been proud of the way the players have learned from it and bounced back," he said.  

"Last week's last week. You get an opportunity if you finish top, that if you don't quite get your first week right in finals, you get another opportunity. 

"And just like last week, we're one win away from a prelim."