Fremantle cannot afford to look too far forward despite reaching the bye at 10-1, Freo defender Garrick Ibbotson says.
The club have produced their equal-best start to a season with nine straight wins before losing in round 10 to Richmond.
Freo rebounded with a seven-point win over Gold Coast in wet conditions on Saturday to remain one game clear of the Sydney Swans at the top of the ladder.
Fremantle’s players will have four days away from the club this week before returning to training on the weekend ahead of their round 13 clash with Collingwood the following Thursday.
Coach Ross Lyon addressed the players after the win over Gold Coast and Ibbotson said the main message was for the players to refresh but not get ahead of themselves.
"He said to make sure we enjoy ourselves now and really relax," Ibbotson said on Monday.
"But he said to make sure we don't look too far forward because being 10-1 now doesn't mean 20-2 at the end.
"You could be 10-12. So there’s a lot of hard work to go still."
Fremantle boast the No.1 defence in the AFL this season despite significant injuries to key defenders. Zac Dawson (broken thumb) and Alex Silvagni (hamstring) are yet to play a senior game this year while Michael Johnson is out for two months with a torn hamstring. Luke McPharlin has also missed a couple of matches with calf tightness.
Ibbotson is one of the few defenders to have played every game and said it had been a challenge to manage the personnel changes.
"It's been a little bit different," Ibbotson said.
"Alex Pearce has come in and played his role and Tendai (Mzungu) came in on the weekend. I think that's the beauty of the way we play that when someone goes down we have someone else who can come in and fill that role. So it's been a little bit different and difficult at times but we're getting through."
Ibbotson has had to play as a key defender at times despite being only 186cm.
"I don't mind it," Ibbotson said.
"It's tough sometimes. I played on a 200cm player on the weekend and I play on some smaller guys.
"It's a different challenge for me. I'm enjoying the challenge. Having Luke (McPharlin) and Johnno around is always helpful."
