THERE is nothing stealthy anymore about Fremantle's charge towards a maiden premiership, with the ladder-leading Dockers coming from behind to beat Geelong by nine points on Thursday night in a thrilling heavyweight battle at Optus Stadium. 

The Dockers fell 28 points down in the second quarter against the only team that has beaten them this season, but they produced a powerful seven-goal third quarter to turn the tide, holding on late to win their 13th straight game 14.15 (99) to 14.6 (90). 

DOCKERS v CATS Full match coverage and stats

Wearing a black and purple 'stealth' jumper, they put their weapons on display, with superstar ruckman Luke Jackson producing an enormous performance to finish with 28 disposals, three goals, nine tackles and 25 hitouts. 

Midfield star Andrew Brayshaw was also enormous when the game was on the line, winning 16 disposals in the critical third quarter and finishing with a game-high 35 in a performance that oozed leadership and courage, with the Dockers winning the midfield battle on the back of their vice-captain's efforts. 

The Dockers overcame a collective case of the yips in the first half, kicking 3.11 at one point in the second quarter as the Cats surged, but they showed resilience and maturity to turn their fortunes around in the front half and start taking their chances. 

Spearhead Jye Amiss was at the forefront, booting 3.4 and converting a pair of long-range set shots deep in the third quarter to give his team a critical break that they were able to defend. 

Geelong was brave and challenged the Dockers right to the end despite some key players missing, including Bailey Smith and Tom Stewart, with Patrick Dangerfield a constant presence in the midfield and defender Connor O'Sullivan playing a brilliant game on Freo spearhead Josh Treacy. 

The build-up to Thursday night was all about who the taggers on both sides would go to, but coaches Justin Longmuir and Chris Scott were happy to back their midfield stars in the opening quarter and let them go head-to-head. 

There were brilliant match-ups everywhere, with Caleb Serong and Dangerfield going head-to-head at stoppages, and Max Holmes lining up on both Hayden Young and Brayshaw as both midfields found space and attacked. 

Jack Martin was a major threat for the Cats, booting three first-quarter goals from marks inside 50, while Jackson, Murphy Reid and Patrick Voss all kicked majors through a see-sawing opening that saw the Dockers grab an early lead. 

Oli Wiltshire booted back-to-back goals in two minutes for the visitors, however, with Martin's third from some clever bodywork on Karl Worner giving the visitors a 10-point lead at the first break. 

The Dockers' inaccuracy continued to cost them in the second term, with Amiss booting his third behind from a set shot and Sam Switkowski, Voss and Reid all hitting the post from chances. 

They had 0.7 for the quarter at one point while the Cats couldn't miss and went on a seven-goal run that opened a game-high 28-point lead, with Jeremy Cameron dangerous and Shannon Neale benefiting from a protected area 50m penalty. 

There was a sense of urgency for the Dockers to respond and break their run of behinds, with Voss delivering after a goal line scramble and helping turn the tide, with Treacy then stepping up to convert from 50m. 

The key forward then combined with the brilliant Reid and Young at half-forward, working cleverly in tight before Young found Jackson inside 50 with his right foot for a third straight goal that cut the margin to nine points at half-time. 

Brayshaw turned the game in the third quarter with a massive performance in the midfield, racking up 16 disposals for the term as the Dockers went on a seven-goals-to-two run. 

Where their accuracy had deserted them early in the game, the key forwards locked in and didn't miss, with Amiss booting a pair of crucial set shots from long range and Treacy converting through a 7.0 quarter that opened up a 19-point lead at the last break. 

More to come

FREMANTLE                      3.4   6.11   13.11   14.15 (99) 
GEELONG                            5.2   9.2   11.4   14.6 (90) 

GOALS 
Fremantle: Amiss 3, Jackson 3, Treacy 2, Voss 2, Dudley, Erasmus, Reid, Serong
Geelong: Martin 3, Cameron 2, O.Henry 2, Neale 2, Wiltshire 2, J.Henry, Mullin, Stevens 

BEST
Fremantle: Jackson, Brayshaw, Reid, Pearce, Erasmus, Amiss, B Cox 
Geelong: O'Sullivan, Dangerfield, Holmes, Bruhn, Humphries, Atkins  

INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil 
Geelong: Nil 

Crowd: 55,201 at Optus Stadium