Fremantle Dockers coach Justin Longmuir backs in Jye Amiss to rediscover top form against Melbourne

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has thrown his support behind key forward Jye Amiss, saying he’s confident the forward is “not far off” rediscovering form.

Amiss kicked one goal from four possessions and one mark in the Dockers’ opening round loss to the Cats at GMHBA Stadium.

It marked the fourth time in the spearhead’s past five games that he’s mustered five disposals or fewer, dating back to the closing weeks of last season.

Fremantle looks likely to persist with their three-pronged tall attack of Josh Treacy, Patrick Voss and Amiss when they tackle Melbourne on Saturday at Optus Stadium.

“I spoke to him during the week, but he created a lot of opportunities,” Longmuir said.

“Clearly we need to maximise a few of those opportunities.

“He’s not far off in that sense. We need to help him as a coaching group, mix up his roles a little bit more and challenge his opponent in different ways, whether that’s defensively or getting higher up the ground.

“It’s a mix of things but we need to give him the flexibility to be able to try a few of those things.”

Longmuir said the Dockers were working on a plan to counter Kysaiah Pickett, who can be equally damaging between midfield and attack.

He kicked 1.1 and also attended 24 centre bounces in last week’s 13-point win over St Kilda.

The Dockers might consider a double tag when the Demons’ livewire attends centre ball ups and shifts back inside 50.

“We’re working through that,” Longmuir said.

“I think that’s the tricky part is if you have two players looking after him is getting that transition piece right post centre bounce or post stoppage and then you need the athletic types to be able to keep up with him and stop him.

“We feel like we have some good options.”

The Demons were one of nine teams - including Fremantle - to kick more than 100 points last week, in a debut win for new coach Steven King. Key forward Jacob van Rooyen kicked six goals and Collingwood recruit Brodie Mihocek booted three.

“They’ve changed their team up. Quite a few new faces, bit of youth. The backline looks different to what we’ve faced as well,” Longmuir said.

“You expect that with a new coach. They obviously got off to a really good start across all three lines on the weekend.”

Longmuir said Hayden Young’s hamstring injury was on the minor side and while he will miss the Demons’ clash he hoped he would be back soon.

Young suffered a minor strain to his left hamstring early in the Cats clash and played out the game, following surgery on his right hamstring last season.