FREMANTLE coach Justin Longmuir says he likes the edge that star forward Shai Bolton plays with after the brilliant goalkicker ruffled feathers in a powerful 41-point win against Essendon on Thursday night. 

Bolton was at the centre of some skirmishes in the second quarter, pointing to the scoreboard after Josh Treacy converted in the second quarter and then backing it up with a goal of his own. 

The 26-year-old has been central to the Dockers' five-game winning run and was influential again on Thursday night, booting two goals from his 15 disposals, with Longmuir pleased with his approach to the game.   

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"I didn't see that (pointing to the scoreboard), but I like the edge he plays with," the coach said. 

"I think largely Shai valued the right things tonight. I thought his pressure and contests were really strong from the get-go.

"He plays with a bit of flair and he likes to get in the opposition's face, so I didn't see the pointing at the scoreboard, but yeah, I don't mind the way he played."

Thursday's win represented the first time since 2022 that the Dockers have won five games in a row, with the team further cementing its position in the top eight and moving to 9-5 ahead of another home game against St Kilda. 

Longmuir said he was excited about the growth left in his team as the Dockers build a "strong identity" after five straight weeks conceding 67 points or less.

"We have high expectations among the group of what we can achieve, but I think what's shifted is our ability just to stay in the moment more," Longmuir said. 

"We've got a strong belief in what our best footy looks like, and contest and physicality and taking time and space away from the opposition is a big part of that.

"I would say we expect to play a certain way, rather than expect to win. 

"Physicality is a part of that, ball movement and team defence is a part of that … it's a strong identity getting built.

"I said to the players after the game, we've won five in a row and we've won pretty comfortably tonight, but what excites me the most is we've still got a lot of growth left in our game, so I'm excited for that." 

Longmuir paid tribute to star pair Caleb Serong and Luke Jackson, who each produced high impact performances to dictate the game from the midfield, combining for five goals and 17 clearances. 

Essendon coach Brad Scott, meanwhile, said there was "a lot to like and a lot to look forward to" out of the performance after young ruckman Vigo Visentini and mid-season recruit Archer May showed terrific signs. 

"I thought he rucked really well and I thought he competed really well. He's a 19-year-old playing his first game against a premiership player who was picked two or three in the draft," Scott said of Visentini. 

"From what I saw tonight, it won't be his last game of AFL footy, that's for sure. I like his competitiveness. He's a great size, he's a terrific athlete, and he's got a huge opportunity to learn under one of the all-time great ruckmen in Todd Goldstein.

"Knowing 'Goldy' like I do, Goldy's dual objective will be to get himself ready to perform when he needs to play, but he'll take a really strong interest in getting Vigo up to speed as quickly as possible.

"Now we'll have, hopefully for the first time in a long time, some decisions to make at the selection table."

On forward/midfielder Archie Perkins, who was substitute for the second week running and had a costly dropped mark in the third quarter, Scott said then talented youngster was a strong and powerful player who was doubting himself.  

"My job is to remind him of what he's really good at," the coach said.  

"Perkins is a strong, powerful footballer who, at his best, is breaking through tackles and competing really strongly. 

"Right at the moment, he's doubting himself a little bit. He is a competitor, but he's just making mistakes through hesitation at the moment. 

"It'll come for him. We've just got to persist. It's easy to criticise, but coaches aren't critics. They're there to help."