Fremantle coach Mark Harvey has given the biggest indication yet that he wants livewire forward Jeff Farmer at the AFL club next year but the coach has a fight on his hands to retain the services of vice-captain Josh Carr.

Farmer, who is out of contract and has stated he wants to continue his 249-game career in 2009, starred with three goals and 21 possessions in the Dockers' 24-point triumph over Collingwood on Friday night.

Harvey said a decision on the 31-year-old would be made in consultation with new chief executive Steve Rosich and several other assistant coaches.

"We'll sit down with Jeff in the next couple of days," Harvey said.

"He was lively tonight, it looked like he was playing for his life, that's how I saw Jeff.

"It's always an interesting, bumpy ride with Jeff.

"I'd like to talk to you about Jeff's character around the footy club.

"He's very much a little bit of inner strength, particularly for the Aboriginal guys and also to his other teammates. I can't speak highly enough of Jeff as a player ... and I'm not talking about pre-empting anything here but I think we just need to learn to appreciate what Jeff Farmer brings to the game."

While the club holds all the aces when it comes to Farmer's fate, the same can't be said in regards to Carr, who is strongly considering a move back to South Australia.

Carr, whose partner is from Adelaide, started his career with Port Adelaide but moved to the Dockers after the Power's 2004 premiership-winning season.

"I think I've been clear on that I want Josh to stay but you understand sometimes there are issues that players have to deal with, Josh is one of those," Harvey said.

"We'll do as much as we can to get Josh to stay but if it's beyond that then it's out of our control.

"Josh is not one of those guys that I have to add anything, he's very astute and knows what he needs to do."

Harvey said the club's strong finish to the season, during which Fremantle recorded four wins from their final seven games despite missing a string of key players, would help convince the likes of Carr and out-of-contract ruckman Robbie Warnock to stay.

"For all the guys who we've got uncontracted at the moment ... they would be genuinely excited about what they've seen tonight," Harvey said.

"It's showing we are doing a lot of things right and the group is pulling together and coming a lot closer and they're finding out a lot about each other, more so than ever because it's been forced upon us.

"A lot of self belief has been gained by a lot of players."

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