Tendai Mzungu says Fremantle will only use next week’s trial match against West Coast to fine tune for round 1, not atone for the NAB Challenge defeat.

The Eagles beat Freo by 84 points at Arena Joondalup in the opening game of the pre-season competition.

The two sides face off again at Patersons Stadium on Thursday 6 March, with bounce down at 6pm.

Freo to finish pre-season with Eagles trial match

Mzungu said the club’s mantra was always to seek improvement for the next moment, not at ways to rectify what had already passed.

“Round 1 is the week after the trial match, so it’s really important for us to play well so that we can play the way we want to the next week,” he said.

“I think the game against West Coast is a really good opportunity for us to improve and get ourselves ready for Collingwood.”

Mzungu said the performance against the Eagles in the NAB Challenge was a timely reminder that the foot could never be taken off the pedal in the AFL.

“If you come in half-hearted, you are going to get found out pretty quickly, so that game was a strong reminder that we need to be at our best,” he said.

“We don’t want to just flick a switch and try and turn it on in round 1.”

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Mzungu, who is one the fittest players in the league, predicted that the new interchange rotation cap could see him spend more time on the field in 2014 instead of on the bench.

“I think in my role this year, with less rotations, I might have to stay on the ground longer, spend time down back and also forward and on ball,” he said.

“Hopefully, I can be very versatile.”

The 28-year-old has played in a variety of roles in the pre-season, including on the wing and off half-back.

Who is Tendai Mzungu?