A continuing trend of closely fought games is building confidence and resilience in the Freo group, according to young midfielder Connor Blakely.

Sunday’s clash with Geelong was Fremantle’s fourth game decided by a goal or less in 2017, but was the first close encounter that saw Freo on the wrong side of the ledger.

After leading by 34 points in the second quarter, Blakely said the overriding feeling in the group was disappointment, but added the young side was taking heart from competing strongly against a more experienced side.

Geelong fielded the second oldest and third more experienced side in round 14, more than two years older than Fremantle’s, which was the third youngest for the round.

“Obviously, we were really disappointed with not getting the four points but we took a real big step forward on the weekend,” Blakely said.

“That was the way that we want to play and I think the pressure now is to bring that every week. If we can do that week in, week out, we’ll definitely build towards something.”

Blakely credited Freo’s fight late in the game when Geelong appeared to have all of the momentum after taking the lead halfway through the final term.

Fremantle fell agonisingly close to snatching the win when Michael Walters’ shot in the dying seconds went through for a behind – but Blakely said the play that created Walters’ opportunity illustrated Freo’s determination.

The final play was started by Fremantle’s leaders in Michael Johnson and David Mundy, before Blakely set fellow 21-year-old Lachie Weller free. Weller utilised long handballs to and from second game player Brennan Cox while running down the wing and centreing the ball inside Freo’s forward 50.

“I think as a young group, when you’re under that sort of extreme pressure in the last quarter, you certainly grow as a player,” Blakely said. 

“You work out who can handle those big moments and who can’t.

“I think a lot of us boys, especially in that last play - the way that Lachie Weller centred the ball and things like that - it just shows a lot of composure with our young guys.

“Obviously, in the last quarter you’re pretty fatigued and a lot of things come into it and the crowd’s roaring, but I think the way that we’ve been exposed to a lot of close games this year that, hopefully, in the future it will hold us in really good stead.”