A desire to play an AFL final is fuelling Michael Barlow’s steady climb back to the form that took the AFL by storm in his debut 2010 season.

Fremantle won an elimination final against Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval in that year, but Barlow had to watch from the sidelines after a broken leg sustained in round 14 cruelly ended his fairytale first season.

“We played finals football that year and I'm still yet to play a final so that's something on my agenda," he said on Channel 7's AFL Game Day program on Sunday.

The past two weeks have been the brightest indication yet that the 24-year-old midfielder is closing in on his best form.

After 28 disposals against Essendon, Barlow had a career-best 37 against Collingwood on Saturday.

"The last few weeks have been fantastic for me personally,” he said.

“I've been getting a lot more run in my legs and GPS numbers are getting up.

"I'm really happy with where it's at and, hopefully, I can help push Fremantle into a position where we can play finals football."