Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is determined to avoid the negativity and pressure from his team’s winless start to the season to become a distraction for the players, saying he hasn’t put any extra emphasis on the importance of Sunday’s western derby.

Fremantle will enter the game having lost their last four games of last season and the first two games of this year. They’ve struggled to score against both Geelong and Sydney, and a loss to the Eagles would put severely jeopardise their dreams of challenging for the premiership.

Longmuir’s coaching has also been under scrutiny after he signed a new employment agreement during the pre-season.

But Longmuir said Sunday was no more important than any other match.

“It’s important because it’s the next game. I don’t put any more weight on it than that,” he said.

“People are going to talk about my coaching career or where we sit as a football club or external expectations, but it’s important because it’s the next game, and we’re trying to improve our footy.

“Our footy hasn’t been consistent enough. There’s too big a gap between our best and worst. That’s what we’re trying to improve on.

“Geelong game was disappointing. Last week, we played a lot better footy and didn’t quite finish it off the way we would like. Our aim this week is to take another step forward.”

West Coast coach Andrew McQualter revealed star onballer Elliot Yeo was quick to correct him when he told the players the derby is a normal game, a sign the Eagles are ramping up their own expectations.

Longmuir said it was important to help the players to prepare for the extra hype, especially given it is an Eagles’ home game.

Fremantle will make at least one change with small forward Isaiah Dudley named to make his debut and back pocket Brandon Walker unavailable after dislocating his shoulder.

Longmuir said Dudley will be in the starting 22. He said the change was designed around increasing Fremantle’s scoring power.

“We feel like we need a bit more forward craft after the game on the weekend. We had 59 forward entries and didn’t kick a winning score,” Longmuir explained.

“We’re happy with the way he’s applied himself. He’s learnt our system. We feel like he adds a bit of class in the front half but can also pressure the opposition and play the role we ask. His form for the last three weeks at Peel has been solid.”