Geelong have been told to show desperation early or careers are on the line, while Fremantle's players have been instructed to go out and have fun.

Such is the huge expectation on the AFL's defending premiers to glide through Friday night's cut-throat semi-final that no one seems to be giving Mark Harvey's Dockers a chance.

But with first-year finds like Anthony Morabito, Nathan Fyfe and Alex Silvagni and second-year players Greg Broughton, Matt de Boer, Michael Walters, Nick Suban and the explosive running of Stephen Hill giving the Dockers a growing sense of self-belief, the raiders from the west are embracing the challenge.

"Confidence is a fantastic thing. With those (early-season) wins, confidence came," Fremantle assistant coach Todd Curley said on Thursday as the wide-eyed Dockers had a training run at the MCG, a ground they haven't played a game on this season.

"We've got a lot of young blokes. At times you can feel pretty fearless.

"There's probably not a lot of expectation outside our group on how we can go tomorrow night.

"But looking back at last week, most people picked Hawthorn.

"Everyone has got their opinion and hopefully ours is the one that counts."

Curley says the word "underdogs" hasn't been mentioned by the coaching staff this week.

"But if the general perception is we are the underdogs, we can't change that. It won't change the way we go about it," Curley said.

"The great thing about a youthful team is they just go out and play.

"That'll be the way we'll be talking to them again tomorrow night. Go out, enjoy it, play well and take the game on."

But with Geelong seeking a third premiership in four years and smarting from an upset loss in last week's qualifying final against St Kilda, the Dockers need a dose of realism about just how difficult their task will be to advance to a preliminary final.

Ruckman Aaron Sandilands has been included despite a knee complaint, while Adam McPhee needs to set himself for a massive game against one of Geelong's star onballers, such as Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett, if the Dockers are to have a chance.

Two-time premiership defender Andrew Mackie has paid the price for a poor return against the Saints while ruckman Mark Blake is also out for the Cats, with forward James Podsiadly and defender Tom Lonergan returning.

Curley says the Dockers take some confidence from their win over Geelong in round three at Subiaco, but it was a long time ago and both teams have changed a lot in personnel since.

"I don't think we'll fight fire with fire (in midfield)," Curley said.

"They've got some pretty seasoned soldiers who are pretty good players. You can't restrict them all.

"We'll pick a couple we maybe need to look at."

Therein lies the problem for the Dockers with Ablett and fellow Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel, Norm Smith Medallists Steve Johnson and Paul Chapman and aggressive forward Cam Mooney among the high-profile Cats who can draw on their vast finals experience.

Some of them, however, flat-lined last week and players such as Johnson, Joel Selwood and tall defender Harry Taylor must lift on last week's form or the Dockers just might get a sniff. But Geelong believe sheer class will come out in the end against youthful enthusiasm.

"He (Selwood) will come out firing. I can't see him playing two in a row like that," Bartel said.

Cats coach Mark Thompson has told his players: "We better make sure that if you're not prepared to play well from the start then don't turn up and play for this club, and I meant it."

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