Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir says he will do a deep dive to uncover the reasons behind his team's shoddy skills and clearance capitulation in a 10-point AFL loss to St Kilda.
The Saints won the crucial centre clearance battle 14-4 and the overall clearances 37-26 as the Dockers midfielders struggled without Nat Fyfe and David Mundy.
Mundy (COVID-19 protocols) is a chance to return for Sunday's western derby against West Coast, but Fyfe will miss up to five more matches with a back injury.
St Kilda's clearance dominance - combined with Fremantle's glut of turnovers - ensured Saints forwards Max King (four goals) and Jack Higgins (four goals) received enough supply to produce match-winning performances.
Longmuir conceded his team couldn't execute the basics of the game, saying there were also problem signs in the round-one win over Adelaide.
The connection between the midfielders and forwards was also problematic, with the Dockers often bombing it long to a swarm of St Kilda defenders.
"We panicked a bit with the ball when we're chasing the scoreboard," Longmuir said.
"When a team is trying to save a game and has numbers back, you need to lower your eyes and look a bit shorter. We didn't get that right under pressure.
"Our execution was horrific."
Longmuir said it was up to his young midfielders to correct any stoppage deficiencies if the tide starts to go against them in games.
"I thought we were pretty passive with our body work, unpredictable to each other," Longmuir said.
"We didn't get the structure right, and then when we got our hands on the ball we coughed it up.
"It's been a bit of an issue our consistency around stoppage, so we need to get that right.
"I'll have to have a bit of a deep dive into (our skills)."
Fremantle ruckman Sean Darcy will undergo scans after rolling his right ankle in the third quarter.
Forward Matt Taberner is a chance to return from a hamstring injury against the Eagles, while Mundy and Brennan Cox could also play if they are cleared to exit the health and safety protocols.
St Kilda could be boosted by the return of ruckman Paddy Ryder for Sunday's clash with Richmond after he made a successful return from an achilles injury via the VFL.
Ryder tallied 26 hit-outs, seven marks and a goal for Sandringham in the 21.13 (139) to 8.9 (57) loss to Casey on Sunday.
"He'll be close to next week, we'll see how he pulls up," Saints coach Brett Ratten said of the 34-year-old.
"His timing looked a little out in centre bounces, but I think he had good impact and it was good to have him out there."
