FREMANTLE has made a strong - but not perfect start - start to 2011, and it is a start that will have Mark Harvey's young team undoubtedly thinking of a top-four finish come the spring.

We will learn more about Fremantle next Monday night when it hosts the Western Bulldogs in an Anzac Day clash.

Fremantle improved rapidly in 2010 to make the finals and win one at home over Hawthorn before losing badly in a semi-final against Geelong at the MCG.

Now, despite coming into 2011 minus Michael Barlow (knee), Roger Hayden (foot), Garrick Ibbotson (ankle), Anthony Morabito (knee), Tendai Mzungu (knee), Byron Schammer (hip) and Alex Silvagni (illness), Freo is three wins from four games.

The Fremantle Dockers have beaten the Brisbane Lions by two points at the Gabba, Adelaide by 25 at AAMI Stadium and now, on Sunday, North Melbourne by 29 points at Patersons Stadium - but the one true test of their claims as a top-four contender saw them fall short in round two.

On that night at Patersons Stadium Geelong showed a greater propensity to capitalise on their chances and win the contested ball.

While Fremantle has done well beating teams that finished below them last season, it again came up short against a Cats team.

That 11-point loss was far from disastrous, but if they are really going to push into the top quarter of the table, games at home against fellow top-four sides should be victories.

Fremantle did have chances against Geelong in round two but blew them, kicking 11.18.

However, the team has bounced back with strong wins over Adelaide and North Melbourne.

Freo is now sure to head into next Monday's blockbuster with the Western Bulldogs on Anzac Day full of confidence.

A night fixture on the evening of Anzac Day has proven dramatic in the past for Fremantle. In 2008 clash, again against Geelong, Freo went down in a heart-stopper when Pavlich hit the post with a kick that could have sealed the game.

It would be fair to say the Bulldogs have huge expectations this year as they attempt to turn themselves from a perennial top-four team to a genuine premiership contender; and with Fremantle aiming for the same lofty position it sets up a tantalising battle next Monday night.

Fremantle is still smarting from a long list of injuries and now has also Nick Suban after he suffered a broken fibula in his right leg on Sunday, but players are emerging to help out stars Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands and David Mundy.

Already this season Nat Fyfe, Hayden Ballantyne, Jayden Pitt, Chris Mayne and Greg Broughton have been terrific and shown enough to suggest that they can provide the nucleus of a top-four team - but it's time for them to stamp home that authority.