Widely tipped to finish in the bottom four, the Bulldogs stunned the league with an outstanding 68-point win last weekend over pre-season premiers Brisbane.
But just as the 'Dogs want more consistency of effort from contest to contest and quarter by quarter, Saturday's clash at Etihad Stadium will show their ability to do that from week to week.
The Bulldogs will face much more pressure from the Dockers than Brisbane brought to Round 1.
Some Lions players seemed to lose interest against the 'Dogs - not a trait associated with anyone who plays under Ross Lyon.
"That's the challenge now - the footy world has sort of sat up and thought 'they were pretty impressive, what they did first-up'," Bulldogs assistant coach Steven King said of their Round 1 win.
"But is that a one-off or are we going to bring it again?"
Fremantle also started with an impressive western derby win, despite the absence of ruckman Aaron Sandilands.
Lyon is developing the Dockers into much the same superb side as St Kilda, which nearly won the 2009 and '10 premierships under him.
As a member of the 2009 grand final side, King knows exactly what is going on at the Dockers.
He was at the MCG last September as Fremantle beat Geelong in the elimination final and saw plenty of familiar traits.
"I remember sitting there ... and it did remind me of us back in the St Kilda days when the whole thing gels," King said.
"You can see the playing group have full belief in Ross and his game plan."
One of the keys to Saturday's match will be the ruck, where Will Minson starred for the Bulldogs against Brisbane.
They should have an advantage in this area given Fremantle is without Sandilands.
But Jonathon Griffin was also superb for the Dockers against West Coast.
"Will had a terrific year last year, without getting too many accolades," said King, the former Cats and Saints ruckman.
"He's realised and worked out, I guess, what it means and what it takes for him to be a good player at this level."
The Dockers smashed the Bulldogs by 109 points last month in the pre-season, but King pointed out the 'Dogs were missing a dozen of their best players.
Apart from giving youngsters some interstate experience, King said the main point out of that thrashing was how good Fremantle have become.
