The midfielder, who was elevated to the leadership group this season, said the Swans could not afford anything less than a full-team contribution against last year’s grand finalists, who produced a comprehensive 53-point win over Essendon last week.
“We need to work together,” McGlynn said ahead of the club’s final training session on Thursday.
“It’s not just about the midfield; it’s all players who have to contribute.
“It does start in the middle, but everyone needs to pull their weight and we’re not having everyone at the moment going in the right direction.”
McGlynn, who was one of the club’s better performers in last weekend’s 43-point loss to North Melbourne, acknowledged that there were players in the side who were down on their regular output, but said he was confident they would turn it around this week.
“We’ve got a number of players who aren’t in form, and they know who they are, but they are proud footballers so I’m sure they’re going to bounce back and get themselves back into form,” he said.
“Guys need to work through form slumps and the only way to do that is to train well, prepare well and be willing to work hard on the weekend.
“We haven’t had that from the majority of the group so we’re all looking to lift and deliver that on the weekend.”
Ben McGlynn at Swans training this morning
With the Dockers boasting one of the competition’s toughest taggers in Ryan Crowley, McGlynn said the Swans also needed to show more on-field support through the midfield this weekend.
In particular, McGlynn said the Swans needed to assist co-captain Kieren Jack, who has attracted more attention from opposition taggers in recent weeks.
“We’ve got to help out players like Kieren (Jack) who is getting a bit of attention, but in the end it comes down to the individual when things get tough to not just take the easy road,” he said.
“It’s just a bit of care with helping Kieren out if (Crowley) does go to Kieren, or Macca (Jarrad McVeigh) or Joey Kennedy.
“You’ve just got to put a bit of body presence on him, but the individual still needs to work hard and make his opponent walk off knowing he’s had a good battle and not just turn your toes up.”
The hosts will need to produce a strong performance to overcome the Dockers, who ended the Swans finals’ campaign last season with a 25-point preliminary final victory at Patersons Stadium.
McGlynn said last year’s result combined with the club’s poor start to the season would be a motivating factor for the Swans this weekend.
“Fremantle are a pressure side and are last year’s grand finalist, so it’s a good challenge to come up against them,” he said.
“The last time we played them there were a few things we were disappointed about.
“Especially now, with the position we’re in, hard work is the only thing that will get us out of it and what better way to get out of it than to have a good opponent to come up against?”
