Injured captain Ange Stannett says she is “immensely proud” of how Fremantle have overcome adversity this season, crediting the club’s “steady ship” for keeping them afloat in 2024.

It comes as the Dockers prepare to face West Coast in a high-stakes western derby at Leederville Oval on Saturday, in support of Telethon.

Despite losing three of their best players in 2024, the Dockers are on the verge of playing finals for the first time in three seasons as they push for a top-four spot against the Eagles.

“I’m immensely proud and I tell them that as well,” Stannett, who tore her ACL before the season, told The West Australian.

“The way that we’ve been able to handle adversity and different challenges, whether that’s through injury or results or other things that come up.

“I think it speaks volumes of the characters we have in our group and how steady the ship had been considering all these things that could have really rocked the boat and haven’t.”

Already without Stannett and four-time best and fairest winner Kiara Bowers (pregnancy), the Dockers lost star spearhead and vice-captain Aine Tighe to a season-ending knee injury last month.

In their absence, recruit Aish McCarthy, who crossed from the club’s cross-town rivals at the end of last season, and 19-year-old injury replacement player Tunisha Kikoak have stepped up - in their own way.

“It’s never been about people stepping in to fill other people’s shoes who have stepped out, because you’re never going to get that like-for-like with those players,” Stannett said.

“We just want whoever is on the field, on game day, to be bringing strengths and that’s when you’re going to get the best out of each other and the best out of the team as well.”

Stannett said it was a testament to the maturity of the group that they’ve been able to remain competitive.

“This is the most mature feeling group that we’ve had,” Stannett said.

“That comes back to experience, time playing together, experience under Webby (coach Lisa Webb), understanding the game plan and role and the ability for players to really buy in to what it is that we stand for.

It’s a credit to everyone that we’ve got on our list right now that we’ve been able to work through some really challenging times.”