The pressure and pace of the Western Bulldogs proved far too much for Fremantle in a 67-point triumph at Marvel Stadium on Saturday. 

The Dogs – keeping their own finals hopes well and truly alive with a hard-working, scintillating performance – kicked five goals to one in the second term to set up the 23.11 (149) to 12.10 (82) victory.

Fremantle was coming off the bye, and it showed. The Dockers – like they did against Melbourne – struggled to get going while the Western Bulldogs were sharp.

06:55

AFL RD14 | Match Highlights

All the best moments from our 67-point victory over the Dockers.

The Dogs kicked 2.2 from their first five inside 50s, Cody Weightman celebrating his return from a serious elbow injury with the opening goal and finishing with three for the match.

While Fremantle's midfield has been a cut above the competition this year, the combination of Tom Liberatore, Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards and Adam Treloar held firm against Nat Fyfe, Caleb Serong, Andy Brayshaw and Hayden Young, overwhelming the Dockers' normally resolute defence as they started to build out the match-winning lead.

The momentum continued into the second half – half-back Lachie Bramble (in arguably a career-best game) drifted forward and was duly rewarded, Tim English plucked the ball from a sea of opponents and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan booted two in a minute and suddenly the Dogs had kicked another five in the first 12 minutes of the term.

It was the type of fast, high-pressure footy of which Dogs fans know their side are more than capable, but don't always produce. The result saw the margin balloon out to 58 points, before Young began to assert himself in the centre bounces, dragging the Dockers back into the game.

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS

  • 00:51

    AFL RD14 | Lobb responds

    Lobby had a big afternoon against his old side, booting 3 goals.

    AFL
    Video
  • 00:47

    AFL RD14 | Cody is back!

    Flea made an impact in his return from injury kicking 3 goals.

    AFL
    Video
  • 13:09

    Luke Beveridge | Post Match (RD14)

    Bevo spoke to the media after the Round 14 victory over Fremantle.

    AFL
    Video
  • 00:21

    Team Song: Western Bulldogs | Round 14

    Watch the Bulldogs celebrate their round 14 win.

    AFL
    Video
  • 01:46

    AFL RD14 | Box-office Bont

    Marcus Bontempelli is a class above in his side’s dominant victory with three goals and a handful of assists.

    AFL
    Video
  • 06:55

    AFL RD14 | Match Highlights

    All the best moments from our 67-point victory over the Dockers.

    AFL
    Video
  • 00:51

    Slick Dog makes late bid for Euros after gun Docker’s injury scare

    Harvey Gallagher conjures an outrageous soccer finish moments after Hayden Young appears to hurt his leg in a tackle

    AFL
  • 00:37

    Lobb dobs one with sneaky toe in goalsquare

    Rory Lobb scores his second goal of the term after a fortuitous spillage allows him to quickly get boot to ball.

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    Video
  • 00:47

    Jamarra joins party with two towering clunks

    The Bulldogs continue to run riot as Jamarra Ugle-Hagan stands tall to earn consecutive goals.

    AFL
    Video
  • 00:50

    Bont lifts the roof after stunning Freo’s best defenders

    An outnumbered Marcus Bontempelli somehow manages to spin out of the contest and conjure a ridiculous snap.

    AFL
    Video
  • 00:39

    West works home crowd with sweet pair in milestone match

    Rhylee West snares a couple of gems in his 50th game of AFL to get the Bulldogs faithful up and about.

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    Video
  • 00:45

    Returning Dogs lead the way with first two

    Cody Weightman and Ed Richards both contribute an early goal on their return from injury.

    AFL
    Video
  • 17:24

    Luke Beveridge | 'We need an even spread of contributors'

    Bevo speaks to the media ahead of the Round 14 clash against Fremantle

    AFL
    Video
  • 07:33

    Bulldogs Radio | Aaron Naughton (12th June)

    Naughty joins Gary and Tim on SEN as part of our mid-season SEN membership day.

    AFL
    Video

Fremantle didn't lie down, kicking six of seven goals either side of three-quarter time, just to make things a little bit interesting, but Weightman's third put paid to any idle musings of a comeback.

Rhylee West finished with four in his 50th game, while Bontempelli's goal of the year contender saw him finish with three goals from 30 touches. 

Without Alex Keath (hamstring), the Bulldogs defence looked slightly outsized by the Docker talls, but the Dogs solved that issue by simply limiting the supply into Fremantle's forward line, while young key back James O'Donnell also impressed in his 21st game.

Match Details

WESTERN BULLDOGS 4.5    9.8    15.11    23.11 (149)
FREMANTLE                 4.1     5.4       9.5       12.10 (82)

GOALS

Western Bulldogs: West 4, Weightman 3, Ugle-Hagan 3, Lobb 3, Bontempelli 3, Gallagher 2, English 2, Treloar, Richards, Bramble
Fremantle: Sturt 3, Banfield 3, Treacy 2, Jackson 2, Frederick, Amiss

BEST

Western Bulldogs: Liberatore, Bontempelli, Treloar, Bramble, Dale, West
Fremantle: Young, Serong, Banfield, Jackson, Clark

INJURIES

Western Bulldogs: Nil
Fremantle: Walters (hamstring)

LATE CHANGES

Western Bulldogs: Nil
Fremantle: Heath Chapman (hamstring awareness) replaced by Karl Worner

SUBSTITUTES

Western Bulldogs: Caleb Daniel (replaced Anthony Scott at three-quarter time)
Fremantle: Matthew Johnson (replaced Michael Walters in the second quarter)

Crowd: 21,796 at Marvel Stadium