Crows coach Matthew Nicks has urged his side to put thoughts of the finals aside and lock in on beating GWS in next week’s final home-and-away around.

Nicks knows his side will be hurting after losing to Fremantle on Friday night, but Nicks still believes his side can take it to anyone in the finals – as shown by their best passages against the Dockers.

“Tonight was a great contest that was in the balance against the best team in the competition by far this season,” Nicks said.

“I’ve got some staff and players who are pretty gutted we didn’t get the win.

While many view the battle for the Essendon coaching position as a race in two, Adelaide coaching director Murray Davis insists he’s still part of the process.

Speaking to 3AW at Optus Stadium for his side’s clash with the Dockers, Davis said the Essendon process is “going according to plan in regards to the timeline” and that he is “still in the mix at the moment”.

The red-hot favourites for the Bombers role are former red-and-black teammates, Sydney assistant coach Mark McVeigh, and James Hird, who has been out of the AFL coaching scene since the end of his second stint as Essendon in 2015 but is the current coaching director at VFL club Port Melbourne.

But Davis said the timeline around the Essendon process had been “clearly communicated” to him.

Dockers star Caleb Serong has made it clear what he thinks about his side winning the minor premiership and topping the ladder with a round to play.

For Serong, it is not nearly enough as he and his teammates turn their focus to winning the club’s first flag.

“We are not here to just win the minor premiership; that’s not what we set out to do at the start of the year,” Serong told Kayo Sports.

“But it is a nice little moment to tick off and to get a home final for first week of finals was something we needed to do.

“We want stability and consistency, and we don’t want to go chasing anything as we have a program that works us.”

Fremantle forward Josh Treacy won’t let his goal-kicking woes define his form as he believes he can influence games in many other ways.

Treacy had six contested marks and seven score involvements but kicked 1.4 and admits his goal kicking isn’t where he wants it to be.

“I’m not too sure. It’s something where I’m just letting it fly,” Treacy told Kayo Sports.

“I’m not doing too much work during the week. I’m not getting caught up on little stuff. I know it will come for me, if I keep knocking them over.”

Treacy said he believed his accuracy would come back. He uses other things to define how he helps his side, but he also heaped praise on fellow tall Jye Amiss, who kicked five vital goals in the win.

“I’m not sure I can pinpoint it right now, but I know it is there; I know it is lingering,” Treacy told Kayo Sports.

“All my eggs aren’t going into that basket. I know that for sure. There is more to my game than goal kicking. It is a big part of the game, but it is not what I rely on for my game.”

The Dockers showed why they are premiership favourites as they flexed their muscle in the second half to outlast the Crows at Optus Stadium on Friday night.

The Dockers are safe in top spot but know they need winning form to be in the best possible shape come qualifying finals weekend. Still, they left it until the final term to make sure of beating the Crows, who were inspired by a stunning night from Izak Rankine who had 30 of his 39 disposals by three-quarter-time.

The Dockers’ goal kicking could have been better but they showed a clear boost in their physicality and physical pressure, and it served them well in a high-quality, high-stakes match given the Crows were desperate to keep their top-four hopes alive.

The loss should rule out a top-four spot for the Crows, who now must beat GWS and rely on other sides losing in the final round.

Isaiah Dudley has come up with a goal of the week contender, bouncing backwards twice to avoid Crows tacklers before snapping a goal over his shoulder.

Thats’s three goals for Dudley and 55,000 fans roared as it sailed through the big sticks.

But moments after that, the Crows went forward and found Fogarty who booted another goal.

Freo 98, Crows 82 with eight mins to go.

Freo have kicked 2.4 in this last term, so if the Crows come back and win this match, the home side will only have themselves to blame.

But the pressure finally paid off as the Dockers went forward again and Amiss ended up with the ball and snapped his fifth.

Freo 92, Crows 76 with eight mins to go.

The Crows messed up an exit from defence and Michael Frederick intercepted it and won a free kick.

He then booted a rousing goal from a tight angle. That’s a huge play for the Dockers.

Freo 84, Crows 76 with 13 mins left to play.

The Crows have it all to play for, considering a loss will put their top-six hopes in jeopardy.

Riley Thilthorpe took a strong mark and booted a goal. We are tied again.

Freo 76, Crows 76 with 16 mins to play.