EMERGING forward Brennan Cox has repaid coach Ross Lyon's faith by leading Fremantle to a nail-biting three-point victory over Adelaide at Optus Stadium on Sunday.

After axing misfiring spearhead Cam McCarthy, the Dockers needed Cox to stand up and the second-year tall delivered a career-best four-goal haul to keep Freo's slim finals hopes alive and dent the Crows' top-eight chances. 

DOCKERS HOLD ON Full match coverage and stats

The rebuilding Dockers' fifth win for the season at home ended a three-game losing streak and was a massive upset by a youthful outfit featuring 13 players with under 45 games' experience.

However, the victory could be soured with star Michael Walters reported for headbutting Tom Doedee, while he is also likely to face scrutiny for striking Adelaide defender Jake Kelly during the 10.11 (71) to 9.14 (68) result.

Adelaide's sixth loss – and third in a row – places last year's grand finalists under mounting pressure to make something from 2018.

"Today was disappointing – no excuses today, just beaten," Crows coach Don Pyke said after the match.

"We’re not playing the sort of footy we've historically played or been capable of playing so we need to gather ourselves, be really clear which is the way forward and head down that path. 

"We're not going to sit and just take a 'woe is us' attitude … we've got an obstacle now which is in our way and we need to get past it."

The Crows' injury crisis could have deepened, too, with Luke Brown being carried from the field in the final term with a right ankle problem.

Both sides came into the clash undermanned, with the Crows missing seven first-choice players and the Dockers without superstar Nat Fyfe (suspension) and Aaron Sandilands (concussion), among others.

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Lyon called on his troops to stand up without arguably their two most important players and he would have been thrilled by the response. 

The Dockers burst out of the blocks, booting five goals to one in their best first term for the season and held on late after Adelaide threatened a comeback in a see-sawing contest.

Cox finished with 19 disposals and seven marks in a brilliant performance in wintry conditions, but there was plenty of promising efforts from a young outfit.

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No.5 draft pick Adam Cerra (30 disposals, eight inside 50s) had the best game of his short career, while Connor Blakely (30) was back to his best and Ed Langdon (25, one goal) continued his excellent campaign.

"Brennan Cox, there's been good signs but he put it together for longer today, so Brent Guerra is working really hard with him individually – as is David Hale – and that hard work and increased workrate is starting to pay off, so it's pleasing," Lyon said post-match.

"Cerra, we played him forward and he impacted, then midfield he was getting a run, but we just know his quality and how he reads the game and how he uses it and how he competes.

"We just thought, at his height, half-back is a good spot to play at AFL football if there's pressure up the field and so that pressure was there today and we saw all his qualities come through.

"His production rate and his distribution is of a high level, so that will make him feel a bit more comfortable at the level."

Down by 11 points at the final break, the Crows charged but couldn't put the score on the board, kicking 2.5 to 1.3.

Eddie Betts, who declared the match Adelaide's most important game this year, rued a bad day in front of goal, with the small forward returning 2.6 and missing three crucial shots in the final term.

Gun recruit Bryce Gibbs (28 disposals) did his best to lift Adelaide, while Matt Crouch (25) and Paul Seedsman (24) tried hard, but it wasn't enough.

Almost everything went Freo's way in the first term once Bailey Banfield ran into an open goal 90 seconds into the contest.

Recalled veteran Hayden Ballantyne was buzzing at ground level, Cox brought his kicking boots and Tommy Sheridan (two goals) threaded the eye of the needle, with Freo's fast-paced footy bringing the crowd to life. 

The Crows were all at sea in attack, even with skipper Taylor Walker back, but the Dockers were switched on and swarmed all over the visitors to take a 22-point lead into the opening change.

But, with so much at stake, Adelaide flicked the switch in the second term and got on top around the contest – winning contested ball 37-28 and clearances 11-6 for the quarter.

Mobile forward Josh Jenkins slotted two goals, cleverly set up Sam Gibson for another and Betts got dangerous as the Crows piled on six unanswered majors. 

However, the contest swung again in the third, with Walters (17 disposals) inspirational, as Freo ramped up the tackling pressure and drilled four straight goals to reclaim an 11-point edge at the last change.

The Crows were desperate, highlighted by a superb Tom Doedee chasedown on Walters, but couldn't find an avenue to score.

Heading to the last term, only one major had been scored at the eastern end – which Freo was kicking to – and Cox's solitary goal for the Dockers in the fourth quarter was enough for them to hold on for an epic against-the-odds victory.

MEDICAL ROOM
Fremantle: The Dockers made a late change after a disc issue Taylin Duman has been managing flared up as he got out of his car at the ground, with the defender replaced by Ryan Nyhuis. Alex Pearce came from the ground before half-time complaining of a sore left thumb but he was fine to return, although it was revealed post-match he will be sidelined by a broken thumb.

Adelaide: Tall forward Josh Jenkins went to the rooms before quarter-time after hurting himself in a marking contest but returned shortly after and played out the game. Kyle Hartigan was crunched in a marking contest early in the fourth term and stayed on the deck for about a minute but didn’t come from the ground. Luke Brown had to be helped from the ground in the final term after a right ankle issue. Coach Don Pyke was unsure of the severity of the injury before Brown has scans.

NEXT UP
The injury-hit Crows are away from home again for a challenging clash with Hawthorn at the MCG, while Freo will be eyeing its first road win for the season against struggling Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

FREMANTLE             5.2   5.6   9.8   10.11 (71)                  
ADELAIDE                 1.4   7.6   7.8   9.14 (68)           

GOALS
Fremantle: Cox 4, Sheridan 2, Banfield, Ballantyne, Tucker, Langdon
Adelaide: Jenkins 2, Betts 2, Douglas, Gibson, Walker, Greenwood, Poholke

BEST 
Fremantle: Cox, Cerra, Langdon, Pearce, Hamling, Walters
Adelaide: Gibbs, Gibson, Doedee, Betts, Douglas

INJURIES 
Fremantle: A.Pearce (broken thumb) 
Adelaide: Brown (left ankle)

Reports: Michael Walters for headbutting Tom Doedee in the fourth quarter

Umpires: Margetts, Hosking, Whetton

Official crowd: 33,421