Fremantle Dockers coach Justin Longmuir finds himself under sudden pressure following his side's second consecutive late-game collapse, this time falling to Geelong by 11 points at Optus Stadium.
The 10.13 (73) to 9.8 (62) defeat not only just about kills off the Dockers' once-promising top-four ambitions, but also places their finals hopes in serious jeopardy.
Just two weeks ago, Fremantle sat comfortably in third position on the AFL ladder, eyeing a strong finish to the home-and-away season and potential home final to kick off September.
But with back-to-back losses, the Dockers have slipped to sixth, with the real possibility of dropping to eighth by the end of the round if Carlton and the Western Bulldogs win their respective matches.
“We're flat at the moment,” Longmuir admitted in his post-match press conference.
“We've taken a couple of hits. This is a tough game, and it's going to deal some blows at times, but we're not done. I'm confident it won't take much to get them back up.”
The Dockers' struggles are becoming a worrying trend. Saturday's loss marked the fifth time this season they've relinquished a three-quarter time lead, an issue Longmuir acknowledges but downplays in terms of its broader impact on the team's mentality.
“Of course, it's worrying,” Longmuir conceded.
“But it's also a sign that we're putting ourselves in positions to win. We just haven't been good enough for long enough. Four of those five games were away from home, and this one was against a pretty experienced team.”
Adding to the Dockers' woes, key players were unavailable, including ruckman Sean Darcy, who was a late withdrawal due to knee soreness. They were also missing captain Alex Pearce, Josh Treacy, and Michael Walters, compounding their struggles at both ends of the ground.
Longmuir expects all but Pearce to be available for next week's critical clash against a resurgent Greater Western Sydney, but the coach must now navigate potential suspensions as well.
Adding to the dour mood out West, midfielder Andrew Brayshaw and forward Bailey Banfield could both face scrutiny from the Match Review Officer.
Brayshaw was involved in a collision that left Geelong's Tanner Bruhn concussed, while Banfield's "brain fade" elbow into Zach Guthrie's head could draw further sanctions. Longmuir, while unable to comment in detail on the incidents, expressed confidence that any actions would be deemed accidental.
“We'll see where it lands,” Longmuir said.
“No player intentionally tries to make contact with the head. Surely the MRO will work it out.”
As Fremantle prepares for a season-defining clash against the Giants next week, the stakes couldn't be higher. A loss could see them tumble out of the top eight entirely, a stark contrast to their top-four aspirations just a fortnight ago.
Despite the pressure, Longmuir remains resolute in his approach.
“The ladder will work itself out,” he said.
“The same thing applies—give all you've got to the next game. We're not done yet.”
But with two more finals-bound opponents ahead, the Dockers must find a way to close out games or risk watching their season unravel at the final hurdle.