Richmond’s success sending star midfielders Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin into attack could provide a blueprint for Fremantle to follow in a bid to boost its scoring power, according to David Mundy.

Mundy and Nat Fyfe both spent time inside 50 against Adelaide on Sunday, with Fyfe booting two goals and providing a strong aerial presence in a sign he is nearing his Brownlow Medal-winning best. 

Mundy played deep forward at times last year – famously kicking the match-winning goal after the siren in round eight against the Tigers – and the former captain believes he and Fyfe can impact the scoreboard more this season.

"I think we saw it last year with Richmond especially with Cotchin and Martin spending a lot of time forward, and they're very damaging players in their own right," Mundy said. 

"But I think it certainly helps, especially with our structure and the people we have at our disposal, that myself and Nathan especially can move forward and provide a bit of an aerial target.

"It's a role that I played last year a fair bit.

 

"Obviously it's easier to play in a team that's moving the ball really well and playing really well, and it has its challenges when we're not.

"But I've certainly been training up a lot in pre-season in that role. It's something I'm really excited about."

Fremantle continue to search for reliable marking targets, but saw more promise from Matt Taberner on Sunday, with the former rookie plucking three contested grabs and booting three majors.

"I think the signs are positive for Matthew. He certainly works hard at his craft," Mundy said.

"He's got a little bit of a way to go but there's not many 200cm big hulking men running around."

Fremantle were on track for a confidence-boosting win over the Crows before a late lapse, with Adelaide's three-goal burst securing a 10-point triumph.

Mundy, who liked what he saw from new faces Andrew Brayshaw, Stefan Giro, Lloyd Meek and Bailey Banfield, conceded there was some "disconnect" in the dying stages.

"(We were) lacking a bit of leadership perhaps from some of the older guys and a bit of inexperience with some of our younger guys being in key positions within those plays," Mundy said.

"But you can really nail it down to one or two key things within those. We'll train those up and we've got four weeks until round one."

Fremantle scrapped hard against the Crows and Mundy declared they want to become a tougher opponent after winning four games in 2016 and eight last year.

"We understand where we've been in the last two years especially and we understand that we don't want to be that again," he said.

"We've really identified some key areas to turn it around.

"It's more about the ethos of being hard to play against, bringing the effort and intensity we can really be proud of."

Mundy, who is studying marine science at Murdoch University, was speaking at Leighton Beach on Monday to promote protection of WA beaches and helped Coastcare volunteers rehabilitate sand dunes.