FREMANTLE might have been an obvious favourite heading to Marvel Stadium on Friday evening, but it was forced to scrap and fight for its four points until the death.

Up against a battered and bruised Western Bulldogs outfit, the Dockers were on the back foot early before forcing their way back to claim the 17.12 (114) to 15.12 (102) victory in the open air.

BULLDOGS v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

It hands the Dogs a fourth consecutive loss for the first time since 2019.

It was a Hayden Young special in the second half, shaking off his opposition to kick three crucial goals – the third the best of the lot, front tight in the pocket under pressure – and capitalising on a weakened and tiring Bulldogs defence.

An inspirational performance from Marcus Bontempelli (33 disposals, two goals) threatened to drag the Dogs back over the line, despite being clearly hampered, but the Dockers stood strong.

Winning the hitout count 61-23 and the clearances 45-37, they were metrics that Fremantle dominated throughout the game but only became truly able to capitalise on in the second half.

The Bulldogs made an early statement. Moving with speed into attack allowed them to create chaos in their front half, and find gaps in the Dockers’ defensive structure, kicking six opening-quarter goals.

Where the Bulldogs were super-efficient going forward, the Dockers were the opposite early in the piece. They struggled to generate genuine looks at goal, either with poor decision-making heading inside 50, or being unable to clunk marks in contested situations.

That’s not to say the Dogs didn’t have some calamitous moments. More than once did opportunities at goal go begging because they over possessed the footy deep in attack, opting to share it around rather than take the responsibility of the shot.

To get things back on its terms, Fremantle moved into a slow, controlled kick-mark mode, taking away the frantic chaos that had been working so well for the home side.

They went slow to go fast, getting the ball into the hand of their runners, and it changed the momentum of the game to great effect.

Isaiah Dudley (two goal assists, one goal) was neatly setting up teammates while also hitting the scoreboard himself, Sam Switkowski (three goals) got into some dangerous positions, and the side’s buzz-player Murphy Reid (22 disposals, one goal) dobbed a massive goal on the half-time siren to give the visitors plenty of momentum heading into the main break.

But in a second-half surge for the Dockers, Luke Jackson (18 disposals, 36 hitouts, one goal) became increasingly dangerous, and Josh Treacy (three goals, eight marks) revved up once his teammates established their slick, quick ball movement out of centre stoppage.

Despite carrying a heavily strapped right knee and spending five minutes having that taping re-done in the first quarter, Bontempelli already had 15 disposals and 297 metres gained to the first break. His capacity to spread away from the contest unmarked was a must-fix for Fremantle, but he still spent much of the game allowed to do as he pleased.

Another who entered the game under an injury cloud, Aaron Naughton (two goals, four marks) flew for the footy as if he didn’t hush the stadium last week with an ugly fall.

Cox's fake
When Sydney’s Brodie Grundy opted not to leap at a centre stoppage in the preseason, fans were assured rucks would not earn free kicks via the same strategy during the season proper. But deep in the third quarter, as the Dockers were wrestling back control, Mason Cox chose not to jump, leaving young Dog Louis Emmett to fly alone and cross the centre line illegally. A free kick was paid, and a bitter taste was left in the mouths of Dogs fans.

Friendly fire
Totally in control and piling on the pain in the last quarter, experienced Docker Andy Brayshaw was a little overzealous with his goal celebration. Jumping to hi-five a humming Josh Treacy, his hand slipped high to clip Treacy in the face. Treacy was forced from the field via the blood rule, with blood streaming from his head and a swelling right eye. Once at the bench, Brayshaw joined him and timidly apologised for the high hit.

The Astronaught continues to fly
Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton would be forgiven for feeling apprehensive about jumping in the pack after he landed awkwardly on his neck last week in what initially seemed like a serious injury. But out on the field just nine days after the horror fall, the Astronaught was flying at the high ball once more. Two opening-quarter goals proved his comfort back on the field and made the Dogs seriously dangerous once inside 50. 

WESTERN BULLDOGS    6.3    9.6    11.9   15.12 (102)
FREMANTLE            2.1    7.4    12.7   17.12 (114)

GOALS  
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 2, West 2, Lewis 2, Bontempelli 2, McNeil 2, Richards, Vandermeer, Sanders, Jones, Bramble, 
Fremantle: Switkowski 3, Young 3, Treacy 3, Jackson, Dudley, Frederick, Erasmus, Reid, Chapman, Brayshaw, Bolton

BEST  
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Richards, Naughton, West, Dale
Fremantle: Young, Jackson, Switkowski, Reid, Clark, Bolton

INJURIES  
Western Bulldogs: Vandermeer (right hamstring), 
Fremantle: Nil

Crowd: 23,071 at Marvel Stadium