THEY say a week is a long time in football and a rebooted Fremantle has proven the truth in that statement by springing a jaw-dropping upset of the Western Bulldogs by 16 points at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.
In a contest that pitted the unbeaten reigning premiers against a seemingly dispirited and winless Dockers outfit apparently in disarray after an 89-point belting from Port Adelaide, it was the home side who laid an ambush and caused a massive boilover.
After a week of intense scrutiny on every facet of the club, Fremantle's new-look line-up – with six changes from round two – played with the verve and dare fans have been craving to notch a remarkable 13.11 (89) to 10.13 (73) triumph.
Coach Ross Lyon's dour game-plan was under the microscope but Freo let go of the handbrake, bravely flicking the ball around from half-back and attacking at pace through the corridor, taking the game on from the opening bounce.
The Dockers burst out of the blocks, with one of their new faces – elevated rookie Brady Grey – igniting their surge with a lovely long-range goal in the opening minutes.
It set the tone for a thrilling contest, with Freo kicking the first four majors before the shell-shocked visitors had even scored to whip the 28,865-strong partisan home crowd into a frenzy.
Lachie Hunter steadied the Dogs either side of quarter-time, booting three goals – including a beauty from the pocket – but from a barely believable 19 points up at the first change the Dockers headed into the rooms with a seven-point half-time advantage.
If Lyon's youthful side – featuring debutants Griffin Logue and Harley Balic - had any doubts they could hold on, they didn't show it – even when the Dogs seized control after half-time.
A five-goal-to-two term inspired by veteran captain Bob Murphy (two goals) and his heir apparent, young superstar Marcus Bontempelli, surged Luke Beveridge's outfit into a 14-point advantage at the final change.
But the Dockers refused to go away, with inspirational small forward Michael Walters stepping up to boot two goals in the final term as the home crowd willed Freo to victory.
When Hayden Crozier, another inclusion, showed quick thinking to rove a spillage close to goal and snap over his shoulder, the Dockers hit the front by four points with 13 minutes remaining.
It was a lead they wouldn't relinquish, with former skipper David Mundy hammering the final nail in the Dogs' coffin after intercepting Easton Wood's risky pass across goal and kicking truly to seal a five-goal-to-nil final term.
The purple-clad crowd jumped to their feet in unison at the final siren, celebrating a victory that has erased the demons of last week's humiliating effort against the Power.
Freo's six inclusions offered a new look to the home side, with Grey outstanding with his forward pressure and tenacity.
Crozier booted two goals in a lively display, while Tommy Sheridan and Ethan Hughes had their moments.
Logue's ability to find the football and stand up in the contest was impressive for a teenager, while midfielder Balic was tough at the coalface.
Dockers skipper Nat Fyfe was superb in the final term for the home side and finished with 33 touches, with brothers Stephen (33) and Bradley Hill (25) also outstanding.
Mundy had 29 touches and booted two goals in a new role spending plenty of time in attack, while recruit Shane Kersten took a screamer and played his best game in purple.
Key defender Joel Hamling was superb against his former side, blanketing Travis Cloke.
The Dogs were well-served by Luke Dahlhaus and superboot Matt Suckling, while Jason Johannisen's run worried Freo and Hunter was a shining light all match.
But ultimately the Dockers had the answers and, after being the last team to defeat the Dogs in Matthew Pavlich's farewell game last year, they snapped the Bulldogs' winning streak at six games.
The Dogs are left licking their wounds on the way back to Victoria, with Liam Picken their chief concern after he was felled in the second quarter by Tommy Sheridan and played no further part in the game due to concussion.
Fremantle's unforgettable first win for the season lifts the Dockers off the bottom of the ladder up to 12th spot and with a significantly brighter outlook ahead.
FREMANTLE 4.4 6.7 8.10 13.11 (89)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.3 5.5 10.12 10.13 (73)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 3, Kersten 2, McCarthy 2, Mundy 2, Crozier 2, Weller, Grey
Western Bulldogs: Hunter 3, Murphy 2, Bontempelli, Boyd, Stringer, McLean, Johannisen
BEST
Fremantle: S.Hill, Fyfe, Mundy, Hamling, Sandilands, Crozier, Walters
Western Bulldogs: Liberatore, Hunter, Dahlhaus, Macrae, Jong, Suckling
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Picken (concussion)
Fremantle: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Ryan, Mitchell
Official crowd: 28,865 at Domain Stadium
More to come
