Fremantle need to maintain pressure and play four quarters of football as they aim to improve ahead of next season, according to captain David Mundy.

Following the loss to Sydney, Mundy lamented the team’s work rate at the contests.

“Our competition and fight and our individual battles were really poor, and our work together as a team was also really down, so something to really work on and focus on in the weeks coming up, but today was very disappointing,” he said, after Sunday’s game.

“Clearly with the occasion that today was, Pav 350^th and Lee 100^th, it was a disappointing effort across the board.”

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Despite winning the hit-outs and clearances, Fremantle chased the game as Sydney went inside 50 on 20 more occasions, and had 20 more scoring shots.

Ahead of this week’s Carlton Draught Derby, Mundy said the team would work on the basics, and was aiming to match the effort they produced against Geelong in round 17, when they pushed the Cats for four quarters.

“A couple of weeks ago against Geelong, our effort and our hit was relatively consistent, and that was quite a pleasing game even though we didn’t get the result at the end of the day,” he said.

“We’re just trying to get as close to that and play as close to four quarters of that kind of intensity and hit that we can sustain.”

With Sydney sitting second on the ladder, Mundy acknowledged they were a genuine premiership contender.

“They’re a very, very good side, and have been for many years now,” he said.

“They’re very well coached and very well drilled and have leaders across the board who really stand up, and that was paramount today and we really saw that first hand, so I tip them to go deep into September.”