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

But with first-year finds such as Anthony Morabito, Nathan Fyfe and Alex Silvagni, and second-year players Greg Broughton, Matt de Boer, Michael Walters, Nick Suban and 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 yesterday as the 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 said the word ''underdogs'' hadn'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.

Gary Ablett and fellow Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel, and Norm Smith medallists Steve Johnson and Paul Chapman are 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 Harry Taylor must lift on last week's form or the Dockers just might get a sniff.

''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.''