Jye Amiss celebrates a goal with David Mundy,Heath Chapman and Hayden Young.Credit:Paul Kane,Getty
Captain Marcus Bontempelli was as devastating as he was stylish and Toby McLean seemed intent on making up for lost time with a spirited start. Jack Macrae was providing creativity and link through the middle,while Josh Dunkley provided the extra hard edge required in the clinches in Tom Liberatore’s absence.
Bontempelli led from the front,goaling in the first two minutes as the Dogs,dominating all facets,set a sizzling early tempo. His second major - following Caleb Serong’s costly switching turnover - was followed by another to Cody Weightman and the visitors were up 5.5 to 0.1 at quarter-time.
The Dockers were getting out-hunted,out-tackled and their disposal was horrid.
They stemmed the bleeding in the second quarter before launching their magnificent fightback courtesy of a supreme lift in their midfield.
Leigh Matthews trophy winner Andrew Brayshaw and the prolific Serong got right on top,while the home side’s forward line stopped misfiring. Four unanswered goals to Michael Walters,Brayshaw,Serong and inspirational second-gamer Jye Amiss sliced the gap to 15 points at half-time and Fremantle maintained that momentum after the break.
Bit by bit,and armed by a suddenly full-voiced crowd,they ate into the Dogs’ lead,then pinched it - for the first time all night - from then when Griffin Logue converted a goal following a 50-metre penalty at the eight-minute mark of the fourth stanza.