JUST because they're winning games, Carlton's slow-burn improvement hasn't necessarily become faster.

That's Blues' coach Mick Malthouse's assessment as he remains confident his side is continuing to inch gradually in the direction he wants.

Carlton's finals destiny remains in their hands going into an important showdown with Fremantle at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

The Blues carry a three-match winning streak into their clash with top-four chasers Fremantle, and go in as favourites.

But Malthouse remains adamant his team is improving at a similar rate with a 9-8 win-loss record as it was at 6-8, when questions were being asked whether the Blues were any better under his coaching.

"Let's not think wins automatically give you a thing of improvement. It's a general improvement ... and I genuinely believe we're a far better side than we were at round two or round three," Malthouse said on Friday.

"The improvement's come from about round three, round four ... we've improved gradually from those early days.

"This hasn't come along that two weeks ago (that) we've gone and we've spiked. What we've done is had a gradual increase over those weeks."

Fremantle small forward Hayden Ballantyne returns from two weeks out with a hamstring injury to bolster a Dockers side, who are also working giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands back to peak fitness and form.

A Carlton team meeting before training on Friday addressed the test they face against a Fremantle side which needs to win to maintain their top-four push.

"We've got some good form. We've had to fight for each victory - there's no doubt about that," he said.

"We haven't been able to go there and crunch sides, but we've done enough to beat some sides in and around us.

"We've won on the road, we've won on the bogey ground (Etihad Stadium), we've put a few things to bed and there's a good feeling around the club."