NAT FYFE carried Fremantle on his shoulders in Thursday night's five-point win over Carlton, Hayden Ballantyne says.
But the dynamic forward, who kicked three goals in his return from suspension, says Fremantle need to perform as a collective if they are to challenge in September.
Fyfe continued a stellar season with 28 touches, 21 of them contested, against the Blues, alongside 13 clearances and two goals.
His two goals came from one-on-one marking contests inside forward 50 in the opening term, where he easily outpointed his opponents and then drilled both set shots.
In the last quarter, with the game up for grabs, Fyfe won 11 disposals, 10 of them contested, plus five clearances. He also set up Michael Barlow's goal in time-on that put the Freo Dockers back in front for the first time in almost two quarters.
Ballantyne was in awe of Fyfe's performance but he said that Freo can't rely on their reigning best and fairest every week.
"He really lifted and carried a lot of boys on his shoulders," Ballantyne said.
"He was unreal.
"But we're a weight-of-numbers team. We can't rely on one bloke to win a game for us. We need everyone to play their role.
"If we rely on Nat to win a game for us every week then we're going to be in trouble."
Fyfe leads this season's AFL Coaches Association player of the year votes, but is ineligible for the Brownlow Medal after being suspended in round two for rough conduct against Gold Coast's Michael Rischitelli.
Ballantyne kicked his three goals on Thursday night from just eight touches. It amounted to a relatively quiet night overall for the feisty forward, playing his first match in nearly three weeks following his one-week suspension for striking Greater Western Sydney's Tomas Bugg, and the bye.
Ballantyne said he was battling with match fitness early.
"I had a bit of a blow to start with," he said.
"The second wind took a while to get there but after that I think I worked my way into it all right."
The 27-year-old echoed the words of his coach Ross Lyon when he said that Freo have a lot of improvements to make given the challenges they face over the next month.
Fremantle play Geelong away, Hawthorn at home, the Brisbane Lions away, before hosting Port Adelaide to finish the home-and-away season.
Any stumbles along the way could see them potentially finish outside the top-four. No side has won the premiership after finishing outside the top four since Adelaide finished fifth in 1998.
"We've just got to keep improving and improving to be the best team we can be," Ballantyne said.
"We've got a tough road trip next week against Geelong and we'll be recovering and preparing as best we can."
