Battling for the wooden spoon in the final round was hardly what Fremantle and Carlton envisioned entering this AFLW season, but both the Dockers and Blues are confident of rapid improvement in 2019.

Carlton won the opening two games of the 2018 season on the back of recruiting key forward Tayla Harris from the Brisbane Lions and hopes were high of a successful campaign.

It didn’t pan out that way and the Blues lost their last five games to finish last after Fremantle beat them 9.5 (59) to 6.12 (48) at Fremantle Oval on Saturday.

It gave the Dockers three wins and plenty to like particularly with Kara Donnellan dominating in the midfield and Ebony Antonio and Kellie Gibson impressive as targets in attack with Kiara Bowers to be back from injury in 2019.

While Fremantle didn’t improve as much as coach Michelle Cowan hoped, she sees good signs and enough to suggest they can be at the pointy end of things in 12 months’ time.

“We have improved and that is what we embarked on. We are hungry for sustained success and we want to be a successful playing group and football club,” Cowan said.

“Overall we are happy with our season and the inclusion of some new talent into our group. Some exceptional people have come in and we will look to keep building.”

Finishing last was a far cry from where Carlton expected to finish entering the season and certainly after beating Collingwood and the GWS Giants in the opening two games.

Harris didn’t come to Carlton to finish last either having played in the grand final with Brisbane last year, but she is confident the Blues can respond strongly in 2019.

“Motivation is the thing we are going to take out of this season,” Harris said.

“I’m really looking forward to what’s going to be ahead for us next year, it’s going to be exciting.

“I genuinely do feel like you have to experience these lows and the highs will come, and we’ll get the wins eventually.”