Fremantle left Marvel Stadium on Saturday with a clear message to take into September after a 37-point loss to Carlton in Round 24.

The 18.11 (119) to 12.10 (82) result did not alter the ladder, with Fremantle already locked in as minor premiers after a consistent home-and-away season.

What it did provide was a sharp reminder of how quickly momentum can turn, and how costly lapses can be in big games.

Debutant small forward Tobyn Murray experienced that shift from inside the contest, watching Fremantle build an early 23-point lead before Carlton took control.

Post-game, Murray relayed the message from coach Justin Longmuir to the group after a day where Carlton’s scoring runs put the Freo Dockers on the back foot.

"It's about playing imposing 120 minutes of our football, and being able to handle the momentum shift and swing," Murray said.

"Obviously they're (Carlton) a high momentum team and they got a hold of us and was able to keep that momentum going for, you know, multiple minutes in a row.

“Hopefully we can learn from this and take it into finals."

Carlton, who have secured a wildcard berth, absorbed Fremantle’s early pressure then surged in the middle stages of the game, with Francis Evans kicking five goals and Ben Ainsworth adding three.

The Blues’ surge came on the back of repeat entries and cleaner work in possession as Carlton steadied and then ran away in the final term.

Fremantle showed patches that reflected the football that has taken them to top spot, particularly in the first quarter when they moved the ball with composure and pressured Carlton into mistakes.

The challenge now is to reset as a group and make sure they stretch those periods across four quarters when the stakes rise in September.

Murray said the group would treat the coming days as a chance to reset and refine, rather than dwell on the result.

"Next couple of days will be a bit of a reset, and then we'll get to work, learn from the game today, and get back to what we need to do and what's required of us," he said.

"We’ll really narrow in what we want to focus on moving into finals, and almost scratch this game, but learn from it, and hopefully go into the next game and just take it day by day and get better at training and prepare ourselves really well."

Fremantle used the final round to manage several key players ahead of finals, with Jye Amiss, Heath Chapman and Sam Switkowski all rested.

In their place, Murray, Judd McVee and Bailey Banfield were given opportunities, adding to the Club’s depth heading into the pointy end of the season.

While the scoreboard made for a tough afternoon, Fremantle’s position remains strong. Top spot is secure, and the path to a qualifying final is clear.

The focus now turns to tightening up some of the areas Carlton was able to exploit, particularly around responding in-game when momentum tilts.

Fremantle will return to Perth for the finals bye week and will play a home qualifying final with the opponent to be determined in the final game of Round 24.