FREMANTLE captain Nat Fyfe is optimistic about the club's future, after the team bounced back from a horror fortnight to just fall short of Essendon in its final match for the year.
The Dockers will finish the season in 14th position, rebounding to an extent on Sunday afternoon after consecutive 104-point thumpings.
"Our club and everyone involved, members and fans, will be pleased with the resilience," Fyfe said.
"It's a really tough task coming over here on the back of two 100-point losses and not having much to play for in a 2017 sense. We're fully aware we're building for a bigger-picture focus, and I think we'll walk away reasonably pleased, but not satisfied.
"You don't want to look at the wins and losses as the general indicator of how we're going, we're really low on personnel, but I think today's performance shows there's real signs of life in our group."
Fyfe was the subject of intense speculation regarding his playing future earlier this year, but put it to bed after signing a six-year contract extension.
He said he was still confident in his decision to remain with Fremantle.
"People will be checking the ledger all the way through the six-year period and sometimes they'll be saying it's a great decision, and sometimes they'll be questioning it, and that's the reality of a long-term deal in a highly volatile industry.
"I put a lot of thought into the decision and I was happy with it then, and happy with it now."
Five talking points: Essendon v Fremantle
Fyfe himself was once again Fremantle's best player in the 15-point loss, crucial in the clearances and filling holes around the ground at important moments.
He said the match was a good indication of the club's future.
"Brennan Cox is going to be a quality player, Luke Ryan is starting to understand what roll-off lockdown is, the bounce out of Bradley Hill, Lachie Weller and Cam Sutcliffe, there's a real pulse there in our younger guys.
"I've been in the system eight years now, so I've seen the transition of the list. I think our recruiting staff have done a quality job to get a core group around a similar age who will stick together for five years and build continuity year on year.
"We've got a longer-term focus here and I think we've got the group and coaching staff to take us there."
He still plays with a chest guard after missing games earlier in the year with an injured sternum, but said it was for protection rather than a continuation of the injury.
"I actually got kneed in the tailbone with five minutes remaining and my nose started bleeding. But in saying that, my body feels fantastic.
"I play international rules in November, so I'll keep myself in really good condition for that, because I'm excited to keep playing footy.
"I still wear the guard, just got a bit of a weak chest plate, but it's more preventative rather than helping me. I've gotten used to it, I've been playing with it for half the season. I might actually put a patent on it, start releasing them, it helps when you get smacked in the chest."
