Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says it is heartening to reach the mid-season break firmly entrenched in the AFL top four after signs their form might have been tailing off in recent weeks.

The Dockers downed top four hopeful Carlton 14.12 (96) to 12.15 (87) at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, breaking a two-match losing streak to climb to a 9-4 record and remain well on track to play finals for just the third time in their history.

"It's just pleasing, particularly when we haven't played that well over the previous two weeks and probably everyone was expecting us to drop away," Harvey said.

"Our team needs a break, there's no question about that, we've probably got six blokes that may come back in the next month that probably add some pressure to what we're doing.

"Another win on the road, playing at this stadium, where we haven't got a good record, so you get a lot out of it."

Harvey was also happy the Dockers triumphed despite having less attacking entries than the Blues, something they also achieved against Sydney at the SCG in round nine.

"On the road it's a positive ... (they were) just hard-fought, scrappy wins and we haven't been known for that," he said.

The Fremantle coach said first-year midfielder Michael Barlow also continued to "defy logic", adding a 30-disposal, four-goal game to his stellar debut season.

Harvey said his young team could be strengthened in the next few weeks by the return of Michael Johnson from a club-imposed suspension, as well as Luke McPharlin, Des Headland, Greg Broughton and Chris Mayne from injury.

But he stopped short of predicting how strongly they could finish the season, just saying they wanted to "make sure that the team evolves and can play better".

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