Fremantle captain Alex Pearce said his heartbreaking grand final injury will take a while to recover from, but the club's performance on the day proved they belong on the big stage.
The Dockers went down to Brisbane in one of the most thrilling deciders this century, with the Lions piling on four goals in the final four minutes to steal the premiership cup.
A major turning point in the contest was Pearce's Achilles injury during the third term, which, to that point, he'd silenced young forward Logan Morris.
By the end of the game, Morris finished with three majors, including the final two that drove the dagger into the Dockers' hearts.
"It's pretty difficult not being out there for the last quarter and half of the Grand Final," Pearce told Fremantle media.
"It's been tough to reconcile with. You work all season to be out there to help the team in those moments. It's been the hardest part when reflecting on the year, and on that game, not being out there for that bit. It's tough. This injury is not one of the worst ones I've been through, but it happened at the worst possible time.
"Like everything, it will take time to process and get through. I've been through these experiences before, and I know I'll be fine. I'll get back. All in all, I've got great faith I'll get back."
Pearce remained on the bench as captain, knocked down with the injury, still contributing to his side despite holding crutches and having his leg heavily iced and wrapped.
"I still have to try and influence the group in any way I can," he added.
"Couldn't do it how I wanted to, but to try and be some sort of positive influence on the bench, and not someone who took energy away from players who came off and from the team. I tried to be a positive influence, knowing I couldn't do as much as I wanted."
But the Dockers captain is still adamant his side can reach the final day in the football calendar, especially after the extraordinary 2026 campaign they produced.
"The main thing I take out of the performance on Grand Final Day is that we proved that we're good enough to win a Grand Final and beat anyone, and a few things didn't go our way," he said.
"We weren't quite good enough in the final moments. But the team and my teammates proved to me that we're good enough, which gives me a lot of confidence going forward."
Pearce is set to miss a chunk of pre-season with the Achilles and calf strain injury he sustained in the Grand Final, but in positive news, he avoided a complete rupture.
