FLAG-FAVOURITE Fremantle has emerged from a first-half funk to overwhelm Port Adelaide by 28 points and extend its lead atop the AFL ladder.

The Dockers trailed by two goals at halftime but then produced a match-defining burst in their 15.13 (103) to 11.9 (75) win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.

POWER v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

Freo booted five goals in 13 minutes to start the third quarter and are now three wins clear of second-placed Sydney on the ladder.

Jye Amiss booted four goals and fellow forwards Josh Treacy and Michael Frederick kicked three apiece.

On-baller Andrew Brayshaw (30 disposals) was a standout, and Caleb Serong (28) and Luke Ryan (21) were influential.

The 15th-placed Power couldn't maintain their early rage despite the best efforts of Joe Richards (31 disposals, one goal), Aliir Aliir (13 marks), Jase Burgoyne (24 touches) and Ollie Wines (30 possessions).

Port's Mitch Zadow, in just his fourth AFL game, booted three goals and Dante Visentini and Corey Durdin slotted two each.

The Power have 13 players sidelined by injury and are missing their top four: captain Connor Rozee, vice-captain Zak Butters and spearhead Mitch Georgiades are all injured, and Jason Horne-Francis missed Saturday's game through suspension.

But revelling in a 12-2 centre clearance dominance, they crafted a shock 12-point halftime lead.

In the first quarter, the Power kicked five of the initial eight goals before two late Freo strikes reduced the margin to two points at quarter-time, 5.3 to 5.1.

An error-riddled second stanza came to life late when, after scores were locked, the Power kicked two goals in a minute.

The flurry including a Corey Durdin major, set up by an audacious torpedo punt on the run from Joe Berry.

The Power led 8.6 to 6.6 at the break and were afforded a standing ovation from their 28,727-strong home crowd.

But any delight disappeared quickly when Fremantle arrested their centre clearance woes to hit top gear in the third term.

The Dockers midfield took control and big attacking guns Treacy and Amiss fired as the visitors logged 6.2 to 1.1 for the quarter.

The onslaught turned Freo's 14-point halftime deficit into a 19-point buffer at three-quarter time.

Fremantle, now with 16 wins and only two losses, closed out victory with three goals to two in the final term.

Injury concern for O'Meara
The win may have come at a cost for the Dockers, with Jaeger O'Meara finishing the game on the bench with ice on his ankle. With only three players currently on the injury list, the Dockers have had a relatively good run with injury so far this season. But finals are fast approaching, meaning heartbreak could be on the horizon for the veteran.

Just in the nick of time
As the seconds ticked down in the first quarter, Hayden Young found himself in front of the sticks with the footy in his hands and slammed it towards goal. But the siren sounded almost immediately, causing consternation as to whether the goal counted or not. Young thought he'd been beaten by the buzzer, but after a quick discussion, the consensus among the umpires was that they'd only heard the siren after Young had kicked the ball. The goal was allowed, and the Dockers headed into quarter time just two points in arrears.

PORT ADELAIDE     5.3     8.6     9.7       11.9 (75)
FREMANTLE            5.1     6.6     12.8     15.3 (103)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Zadow 3, Durdin 2, Visentini 2, Whitlock, Berry, Burgoyne, Richards
Fremantle: Amiss 4, Treacy 3, Frederick 3, Dudley, Erasmus, Young, Jackson, Voss

BEST
Port Adelaide: Richards, Wines, Burgoyne, Aliir, Drew
Fremantle: Brayshaw, Serong, Ryan, Johnson, Erasmus, Young, Worner

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Fremantle: O'Meara (ankle)

LATE CHANGES
Port Adelaide: Harrison Ramm replaced in selected side by Jacob Wehr
Fremantle: Nil

Crowd: 28,727 at Adelaide Oval