Dual Brownlow Medal winner Nat Fyfe says goodbye after Fremantle's finals loss to Gold Coast

Fremantle great Nat Fyfe says he was left feeling numb after his AFL career was brought to a close in a heartbreaking one-point loss to Gold Coast.

Fyfe said he still ended his AFL career content despite not winning the premiership he so desperately craved, and he was optimistic the current group had "five or six" more bites at the cherry.

Fyfe's career came to a close on Saturday night when Fremantle suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to Gold Coast in a pulsating elimination final at Perth Stadium.

The Dockers led by six points with less than two minutes remaining, but a Mac Andrew goal with 72 seconds to go followed by a David Swallow behind with just nine seconds left on the clock sealed the 11.14 (80) to 12.7 (79) win for Gold Coast.

Swallow, like Fyfe, had announced he would retire at the end of the season, and would have been the one hanging up his boots if the Suns had lost.

After being interviewed on the field, he went to Fyfe and the two veterans spoke at the end of a big night.

Fyfe was then given a guard of honour, with skipper Alex Pearce and Luke Ryan chairing him off.

In an honest and emotional interview after the match, Fyfe revealed he had been in some doubt for the match after rolling his ankle at training on Tuesday.

"When you're at my age and with the scar tissue, a small ankle injury can turn into a pretty major thing, but it wasn't too bad," Fyfe said.

The 33-year-old won two Brownlow Medals, three club best and fairest awards and three All-Australians during his decorated 248-game career, as well as captaining Fremantle.

But team success eluded him, with the 15-point loss to Hawthorn in the 2013 grand final the closest Fyfe got to a flag.

Fyfe was philosophical after his dream ended on Saturday night.

"I don't think I needed anything else from the game," Fyfe said.

"We all want to win premierships. I do have some contentedness that I tried everything and gave absolutely everything I could to the club and evolved myself along the way.

"In some ways, maybe my journey it was more important for me not to win than to win.

"I just think that's fitting — the game does not give up its rewards very easily and there's a lot more times you finish a season heartbroken than the opposite.

"To be able to get back and actually be involved in this game this year … I'm really grateful I got to play in another final again."

Fremantle have featured in finals just twice since 2015 — in 2022 and 2025.

But with the bulk of the talent-laden squad still in their early-to-mid 20s, Fyfe sees a bright future.

"We've only lost three games of the last 14, we've learned to win on the road, we've given ourselves every chance of evolving the way you'd like a list to," Fyfe said.

"I think we genuinely have got the calibre of players in the right profile to have five or six bites at winning a premiership."

Fyfe has been plagued by injuries in the latter part of his glittering career.

This year alone he dealt with knee, hamstring and calf issues, admitting that he thought he may not be able to come back on numerous occasions.

"The game tried many different times to tell me the end of the road was near and so I walk away knowing this was definitely the right time," Fyfe said.

"I think I came to a point last year where I felt like I'd turned every stone, given absolutely everything I could.

"Where the story went from there was out of my hands. Hopefully I get some closure and peace of mind that this part of my journey with Fremantle — I did everything I could.

"I finish disappointed in some ways because of the way this season went. But those memories will eventually turn into fond ones for what's been an amazing experience."

So, what's next for Fyfe, a man who has endured 25 surgeries across his career?

"A period of rest," Fyfe said.

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