Fremantle's Road to Recovery: Dockers Begin to Heal After Heartbreaking Grand Final Loss

Fremantle's recovery from one of the most heartbreaking grand final losses in AFL history has begun, with the Dockers' players and coaching staff trying to come to terms with the devastating defeat.

The team's journey back from Melbourne was set to be a tough one, with players and staff still reeling from the shock of Brisbane's incredible comeback, which saw the Lions win the premiership by scoring four goals in the final four minutes.

In the immediate aftermath of the game, Fremantle's players were comforted by their loved ones in the changerooms at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. A middle-aged man, presumably a father of one of the players, was seen embracing each of the players, telling them to keep their heads up.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir, visibly emotional, gathered his players on the ground immediately after the final siren and delivered a clear message: "Have each other's back."

"We play an imperfect game that is full of mistakes, and every game that they have played across their journey they would have made mistakes, it just feels a bit bigger right now," Longmuir said.

"If we had've won, we would've won together. We lost, we lose together, so have each other's back."

Longmuir wants his players to sit in their grief, rather than trying to move on too quickly. "We're devastated, but we need to make sure that we've got each other's back and support each other and make sure we're not too hard on ourselves through this moment," he said.

"The time to move on is not now, and we've got to sit in this and help each other through it and then the time to move on and worrying about next year is down the track."

The Dockers' players, including Norm Smith Medal winner Shai Bolton and teammate Judd McVee, admitted they thought they had the game won when the Wharfie Time bell tolled in the final quarter. Bolton described the Lions' comeback as a "blur".

"Finals football is all about moments and in the last four minutes we didn't take our moments and Brisbane probably did," Bolton said.

"They've got the experience and in the last four minutes they played their way and came home with the chocolates."

McVee echoed the sentiments of his teammate, saying the Dockers would "stick together after this, we're like brothers".

"Everyone plays a part in it. It is a very tight group here, and we just love each other," McVee said.

Despite the heartbreak, Fremantle's young and talented team is expected to bounce back, with continuity and a strong team culture behind them.