THE HOPE for Fremantle is that 2023 is the single year of regression that can be common in young teams during a development season before settling back to an upward trajectory.  

The fear is that this most disappointing of campaigns is a more accurate reflection of what the group is capable of, and significant work is required to bring the Dockers' output back in line with the expectations of a hungry fan base.

After four losses in five games, including the most deflating of its season so far against Carlton on Sunday, Fremantle is in competition with Sydney as the most disappointing team of 2023.

Asked on Sunday night if the Dockers were experiencing the step back that young teams can go through as part of their climb, coach Justin Longmuir was in no doubt that was happening for his group.

"Last year we had a really good season. With [the players] we lost, we got younger for whatever reasons, and we haven't handled the pressure as well as we would have liked," the coach said.

"That feeds into those moments in games where a lot more is expected of everyone and we're not living up to it."

Melbourne is the prime example cited when looking at how teams can regress briefly before finishing their climb, having built steadily before a spike in 2018 (14 wins and a preliminary final) was followed by the dip of 2019 (five wins and a 17th-place finish).

Fremantle climbed similarly in Longmuir's first three seasons, with seven wins in 2020, 10 in 2021, and 15 and a draw last home-and-away season on the way to an elimination final win against the Western Bulldogs and a semi-final loss to Collingwood at the MCG.

It was justifiably viewed as a finals team this season, and even a top-four contender, given that trajectory.

But while Melbourne put its dip behind it with a premiership in 2021, nothing is guaranteed in the AFL and the search for answers is already underway at Fremantle.

Sliding from No.12 to No.16 for games experience in 2023 and fielding the second youngest team across the course of the season so far has contributed to the rocky year.

As terrific as joint vice-captains Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw have been individually, it is also clear the midfield needs an injection of size collectively, with David Mundy gone and Will Brodie unable to repeat his 2022 output due to injury and form issues.

The Dockers have been unsettled on the wings, their key defenders have been less imposing than 2022, defensive pressure in attack has dropped off, and the speed and class off half-back that was a weapon has dissipated.

It has also been clear this season, however, that the Dockers believe they are losing the mental game.

It was the crux of Longmuir's explanation for the lack of any response on Sunday when Carlton turned the screws late in the second quarter and then for the duration of the third, piling on eight unanswered goals.

"We got stuck in our own heads. The scoreboard got out of control, players would have been worried about their own form, and we just went away from any resemblance of a connected brand," the coach said.

"You've got to fight through momentum as a team, you can't fight through it individually. We tried to fight individual battles rather than connecting as a team."

Melbourne finished its year of regression by assessing every section of its football department and benchmarking against the competition's most successful teams for the 10 years prior.

The Demons were confident they had the talent and the right coach but identified the need for greater resources around Simon Goodwin and some structural changes.

Fremantle chief executive Simon Garlick indicated on Tuesday that the Dockers were already assessing how their football program could improve ahead of 2024.

"We're constantly reviewing, this time of year in particular, [and] going over every cent we have to spend in our soft cap," Garlick told SEN WA.

"We analyse it with a fine-tooth comb in terms of what we’ve done this year and look at the number we have to work with next year and think about how we can continue to improve our program.

"One of the beauties about 'JL' (Longmuir) as a coach, among a number of his strengths, is that he's always open to seeing how he, and his coaching program, can get better.

"That's something we're looking at in earnest, and we haven't got any concerns with seeing what we can do to get better and who we might be able to bring into our program to help us.

"That’s certainly something that's taking place as we speak."

Tweaks, rather than dramatic change, might well be the key to making sure Fremantle's year of regression is just that, and the climb that fans expected resumes in 2024.