NO TEAM other than, perhaps, Adelaide had a better one-two punch addition this weekend than Essendon via Orazio Fantasia and David Zaharakis.

Fantasia (groin) missed the past fortnight – both times as a late withdrawal – while Zaharakis (shoulder) last played in round 11.

Without them, the misfiring Bombers' already-slim finals hopes may have been up in smoke at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Fantasia's five goals and Zaharakis' 26 disposals instead inspired Essendon to a 13.21 (99) to 11.4 (70) victory over Fremantle that keeps alive its chances of still playing in September.

DONS EDGE DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

It was just the Bombers' second win at the Dockers' expense in their past seven meetings – and came despite trailing by eight points at half-time – and means they've won five of their past six outings.

"It was the sort of game where if you don't take your opportunities when you get them, it keeps your opposition in the game," coach John Worsfold told reporters.

"We were our own worst enemy for a fair part of the game – just coughing the ball up when we didn't need to – and Fremantle's scoring off that kept the score close, keeps the pressure on and the anxiety high for most of the game."

Essendon largely dominated a youth-laden Fremantle line-up that was a long way from home, but still found the plucky visitors' tag tough to shake.

Everything bar the scoreboard was lopsided, with the Bombers winning disposals (380-319), contested possessions (157-137), clearances (41-28), marks inside 50 (22-10) and inside 50s (63-35) in a canter.

That eventually told, although it wasn't until David Myers' kick and hope from barely inside the boundary went through for a goal at the 20-minute mark of the final term that they were safe.

Devon Smith's magnificent first season in red and black continued with 23 touches, 10 tackles and two majors, while Zach Merrett and Dyson Heppell shared 54 disposals between them.

The story wasn't so bright for Shaun McKernan, whose strong start to the contest was cut short when he suffered what looked a serious left hamstring injury early in the second quarter.

McKernan was already covering for absent star Joe Daniher, but third-string forward Mitch Brown emerged to boot three goals, including two in the club's second-half fightback.

They trapped the Dockers inside their defensive half for much of the opening term, but some Matt Dea errors opened the door for good for a spirited performance from Ross Lyon's side.

STILL ALIVE Five talking points

Fremantle was set to field the round's youngest side until Sean Darcy's groin tightened up in the warm-up and he was replaced by veteran Michael Johnson in his last AFL season.

Essendon, on the other hand, was the second-oldest, sporting 11 players aged between 26 and 29 years and nine players with at least 100 games' experience.

Johnson's 33 years and 239 matches muddied the Dockers' averages somewhat, but didn't change the theme.

This match was at the Bombers' mercy and probably should have been put to bed earlier.

Michael Walters was one of the reasons Fremantle – which was missing Nat Fyfe and Aaron Sandilands – had a pulse for as long as it did, kicking three goals and racking up nine score involvements.

Lachie Neale paced the Dockers in the clinches with 30 possessions (12 contested), with hard-working first-year midfielder Bailey Banfield a willing ally with six clearances of his own.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon was pleased with his players' "endeavour", but not so much with their ability to "finish the job".

"(Our inexperience is) not an excuse, it's just a reality," Lyon said.

"We feel we can go forward every training session and every meeting.

"Even within today, (Stefan) Giro still showed bits and pieces, (Brennan) Cox gets to play on (Michael) Hurley with limited opportunities and (Adam) Cerra's second half was strong.

"Taylin Duman was steady down back under siege and Darcy Tucker played down back today, so we're continuing to develop and that's all you can do, then at some point they work and … it will turn."

WATCH Fantasia fever at Etihad

MEDICAL ROOM

Essendon: Shaun McKernan was enjoying the best patch of his decade-long AFL career with Joe Daniher out, but he now joins the Bombers' injured star forward on the sidelines. McKernan looked to seriously injure his left hamstring when he launched for a mark in the opening minutes of the second term. Two trainers carried him from the field and he was soon relying on crutches, with his season potentially in danger.

Fremantle: The Dockers were already without Aaron Sandilands then lost his incumbent, Sean Darcy, when the 20-year-old's groin tightened up in the warm-up. Darcy originally came from the ground a week earlier against Port Adelaide with the same problem.

NEXT UP
Essendon has a six-day turnaround before hosting a wounded Sydney at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, while Fremantle welcomes Hawthorn to Optus Stadium on Sunday week.

ESSENDON   2.5   4.11   9.16   13.21   (99)
FREMANTLE   4.0   7.1   10.4   11.4   (70)

GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia 5, Brown 3, Smith 2, Baguley, Zaharakis, Myers
Fremantle: Walters 3, Johnson 2, Neale, Cerra, Sutcliffe, Mundy, Matera, McCarthy

BEST
Essendon: Smith, Zaharakis, Fantasia, Heppell, Merrett, Hurley
Fremantle: Neale, Walters, Banfield, Pearce, Hamling, Wilson

INJURIES
Essendon: McKernan (left hamstring)
Fremantle: Darcy (groin, replaced in side by Johnson)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Gavine, Hay, Ryan

Official crowd: 31,564 at Etihad Stadium