FREMANTLE has staged a dramatic last-term comeback to pip Port Adelaide by six points and climb into the coveted top four.

Dockers skipper Alex Pearce took a soaring pack mark and goaled with less than a minute remaining, giving his side a precious 13.14 (92) to 13.8 (86) victory.

POWER v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

Freo jump from sixth to fourth ahead of games against Brisbane (home) and Western Bulldogs (away) in the run to the finals.

The Dockers were 14 points down early in the last quarter but booted four of the last five goals to withstand a massive fright from 11-placed Port, who logged a season-best eight-goal quarter.

Port was bossed by Fremantle in the opening term as the visitors scored 4.5 to 0.4, but the Power violently turned the tide with an unheralded second quarter of 8.1, including seven goals in a 16-minute patch.

Spearhead Mitch Georgiades scored the first major seven minutes into the term. By the 23rd minute, Port had turned a 26-point deficit into a 10-point advantage.

Georgiades added another in a spree including a Jack Lukosius stunner featuring a clever ground-ball tap, a dummy and a checkside from a tight angle.

The burst also included Aliir Aliir's first goal in 112 games for the Power - his strike after a 50m penalty giving the home side an 8.5 to 7.9 edge at half-time.

"Clearly, the second quarter was as good as we have played for some time," Port coach Ken Hinkley said after the match.

"It was nice to actually see that from a quite a young side out there ... executing under some pressure against a side who is in the top four."

Port twice stretched its lead to 15 points in the third term, and twice Freo's 21-gamer Murphy Reid reduced the margin with eye-catching goals, highlighted by a remarkable bouncing effort from the boundary line.

The Power lost Lukosius to a calf injury late in the third quarter but held an eight-point buffer at the final break, 11.8 to 9.12.

The home side went 14 points up when Willie Rioli goaled early in the last before Freo finished with a flourish, with Patrick Voss scoring two goals before Pearce became the unlikely match-winner.

"Mixed emotions," Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said of the win.

"I'm really proud of the way we fought it out but we probably had our worst 20 minutes or 15 minutes of footy we have played for a long time in that second quarter."

Dockers midfielders Caleb Serong (28 touches) and Jaeger O'Meara (26) were prominent and Luke Jackson (23) was an early standout.

Voss booted three goals and his teammates Shai Bolton, Michael Frederick, Reid and Josh Treacy slotted two apiece.

Port dynamo Zak Butters collected a match-high 29 disposals and triggered the second-term onslaught, while defender Aliir was outstanding, taking 17 marks and booting his rare goal.

Power quartet Georgiades, Connor Rozee, Rioli, Jed McEntee and Lukosius all kicked two goals.

Aliir helps Hinkley fill the memory bank
Since arriving at Port Adelaide, Aliir Aliir has been the rock in Ken Hinkley’s defence, missing just five games in five years and more than once saving matches with last-minute moves. But not once had he kicked a goal for the Power. Not until Saturday night. It wasn't the most spectacular of plays and was only made possible by a 50 metre penalty, but it was a moment to savour for Aliir, his teammates and for Hinkley in his third last game in charge.

A captain's goal if ever there was one
After playing just one game in the past two months it wasn't too surprising Fremantle skipper Alex Pearce was a little rusty, but his presence helped hold the Dockers' backline together under constant pressure through Saturday night's game. Yet, ultimately it was at the other end of the ground the key defender made a difference. With scores tied up and just over a minute remaining, Pearce floated into the forward line and marked, going back to calmly slot the set shot and, quite possibly, saving Freo's season from the scrapheap.

Jack shows what Port's been missing, and then goes out again
It's been a year from Hell for Port recruit Jack Lukosius, and it may have ended on Saturday as he appeared to hurt his calf yet again, late in the game. However, before the injury the former No.2 draft pick showed why the Power was so keen to get him to Alberton, with his second-quarter Goal of the Year contender making it clear he has more than a super boot in his arsenal.

PORT ADELAIDE   0.4    8.5   11.8    13.8 (86)
FREMANTLE          4.5    7.9    9.12   13.14 (92)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Georgiades 2, Lukosius 2, McEntee 2, Rioli 2, Rozee 2, Richards, Berry, Aliir
Fremantle: Voss 3, Treacy 2, Reid 2, Bolton 2, Frederick 2, Serong, Pearce

BEST
Port Adelaide: Butters, Farrell, Aliir, Wines, Georgiades
Fremantle: Serong, Bolton, Jackson, Erasmus, Reid, Voss

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Lukosius (leg)
Fremantle: TBC

LATE CHANGES
Port Adelaide: Lachie Jones replaced in the selected side by Jack Whitlock

SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Christian Moreas, replaced Jack Lukosius at three-quarter time
Fremantle: Nat Fyfe, replaced Isaiah Dudley in the third quarter

Crowd: 30,390 at Adelaide Oval