FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon had one message after his team finished the season with a fighting 15-point loss to Essendon: "today counted".

It may have been a dead rubber for the Dockers, who could not move out of 14th spot on the ladder, but Lyon was pleased with the effort shown by his charges.

"I just thanked them for their efforts, I thought they displayed great character. And today counted, you can't say today doesn't count, so it was pleasing," Lyon said.

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"It's important for our supporters and ourselves that we display our character. Because fundamentally that's what football's about, and I think we displayed great character today - I'm not really interested in anyone else's opinion." 

It was a different Fremantle side at Etihad Stadium to the one that had lost consecutive matches by 104 points, both in personnel and effort. 

Five talking points: Essendon v Fremantle

The Dockers made the Bombers work hard for their win, chasing, hassling and spreading well; the inclusions of Lachie Neale, Tom Sheridan and Jonathon Griffin proving important. 

"We added to our group and we knew we would be more competitive," Lyon said. 

"There's a message to guys who go in the team, that's the level. I was always on record as saying we had been very competitive all year bar a few games, and there's always circumstances." 

WATCH: Ross Lyon's full post-match press conference

With Fremantle's 2017 on-field season done and dusted, the club's attention now turns to planning for the future, with Lyon forecasting changes ahead.

"From where we are, we cut our list hard, and the only constant thing in AFL football, as someone told me, is change. So there'll be more change, but we're working really hard to try and bridge the gap. 

"On the course of the year, failure's feedback, and everyone in the club, we need to leave no stone unturned. 

"For myself, I'll continue to improve and grow and learn from this period, which I think I'm doing, I think our group's doing and our leaders. We will continue to surge ahead and grow." 

Harley Bennell showed flashes of brilliance in his second match for the club after nearly two whole seasons on the sideline with calf issues. 

The former Sun finished the match with 13 disposals and a stunning goal, when he appeared to have more time than anyone on the ground, coolly sidestepping around several defenders to snap the ball around his body.

"Gee whiz, he was exciting there at the end, I thought he had them on toast, but we had to take him out because of his physical parametres," Lyon said. 

"It's going to be a big summer. If you can do the work, we know we've got a top-five player there."