A LACK of composure in front of goal cost Fremantle a chance to move into the top eight, according to coach Justin Longmuir, as the team's wayward kicking returned in a 16-point loss to Carlton on Saturday night.
The Dockers kicked 8.16 at the MCG and failed to kick more goals than behind for the 12th time this season, with 4.7 in a dominant third quarter against the Blues proving costly.
DOCKERS v BLUES Full match coverage and stats
Longmuir conceded the team had butchered opportunities after fighting its way back into the game and goalkicking continued to be an issue.
"Some of the easy shots on goal were general play shots and I saw it as a lack of composure," the coach said.
"When you give the opposition a head start like we did, you're always playing catch up.
"We were just chasing the game all night because of our start and we've just got to keep working on our goalkicking.
"It's been an issue this year and continues to be an issue."
Longmuir refused to blame Saturday night's performance on a chaotic week that saw the Dockers' home game relocated from Optus Stadium to the MCG because of COVID-19 precautions in Perth.
He understood fans would be frustrated by the missed opportunity to move into the top eight, but said the Dockers were building for the long term.
"Missing out on being in the eight this week is disappointing, but we need to focus on the process," he said.
"We need to make sure we get a more even contribution across the whole field, we need to make sure we’re better in those tight situations late. We've lost a couple of close ones this year.
I know our fans will be frustrated. But we’re doing a lot right as well. That’s probably what makes it more frustrating."
Longmuir said he would continue to look for ways to involve Michael Walters in the game more after he had just nine disposals and one goal, with midfield spots hard to win.
He said Fyfe's dislocated right shoulder had held up well after the captain's first game back, but the dual Brownlow medallist would be a "week-to-week" proposition.
While the Dockers missed the chance to move into the top eight, Carlton is now six points adrift of eighth-placed Greater Western Sydney after back-to-back wins.
Coach David Teague said he had never lost faith in his group but stopped short of declaring the win was a significant step in the team's development.
"They showed great character and I loved the passion they played with today," he said.
"As a collective I thought they found a way to impact even when they were out of position and they dug deep.
"They showed how much they really wanted it and played with that passion, which was probably missing for three weeks."
Captain Patrick Cripps will be assessed after suffering an early foot injury when he made contact with opponent Brandon Walker's leg when kicking.
The midfield star was able to play through the injury after leaving the ground briefly, albeit with his kicking inhibited, recording five kicks and 18 handballs.
"He's got a sore foot so we'll get that checked out. He actually felt OK other than kicking," Teague said.
"He reckons after about a 100m run it would start to feel better again, so he's obviously a great leader."
Midfielder Sam Walsh was praised for fighting through early attention from Caleb Serong and then holding down a wing to finish with 25 disposals, including nine and the match-sealing goal in the final quarter.
Young onballer Paddy Dow was also significant in the result, setting up the Blues' early lead with 11 first-quarter disposals and six clearances.
"He's continuing to grow and he's starting to understand how to get the best out of himself game day with his preparation," Teague said of Dow.
"The last two weeks have shown his ability to impact games. His power, his ability at clearances, and then his ball-use going away from there is something he's worked really hard on."
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