Fremantle dual Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe has farewelled the Fremantle faithful for the final time in front of a packed Optus Stadium, during the Club’s Elimination Final against Gold Coast.

Fyfe spoke post-match at the media conference alongside senior coach Justin Longmuir, reflecting on the brutal nature of AFL football.

“I thought we dug in towards the end of the game, and I thought we all got pretty hopeful towards the end,” Fyfe said.

“To have it snatched away - it's yet another example of what footy can do to you.

“The game does not give up its rewards very easily, and there are a lot more times where you finish the season broken rather than the opposite.

“The game has been very generous to me, and I’m grateful for that.

“To be able to get back and actually be involved in this game this year - I’m really thankful to JL, Joe Brierty, and Garlo (Simon Garlick) for having the belief to give me a little bit of rope to keep that dream alive.

“I finish disappointed in some ways because of how this season went, but those memories will eventually turn into fond ones - for what has been an amazing experience.”

While the fairy tale finish to a legendary career did not pan out the way the Fremantle fanbase would have liked, Fyfe ends his career not just as one of Fremantle’s greatest, but as one of the AFL’s best at his peak.

Reflecting on the game, Longmuir said the feeling in the rooms post-match was intensified by the final farewells of both Michael Walters and Fyfe.

“It’s devastating. I think whenever you finish the season, there is no pleasant way to go out unless you win it," Longmuir said.

“The fact that Nat’s retiring - Sonny’s retiring - it just adds a lot of extra emotion.

“The players are hurting. The game is the game, but it’s bigger than that after the siren, because of the calibre of people who are leaving the Club.”

Longmuir acknowledged a disappointing second term but also highlighted some of the positives from a season in which Fremantle’s list grew significantly.

“In the second quarter, we just fell away with our footy - our role play and our contest dropped off.

“To concede seven goals in a quarter was not us, especially those last four goals that came really quickly off the back of us losing our way in the contest and our shape - which was really disappointing.

“But like we’ve done all year, we embraced every challenge and fought our way back - which we did again tonight.

“The other message to the players after the game was, ‘We’ve grown so much throughout the year.’

“Nat mentioned it - the way we’ve gone on the road and improved.

“It feels really hollow at the moment, but once we review it, there’ll be a lot of positives to take out of it.

“There’ll be some really good stepping stones to take us forward.”