THEY say a week is a long time in football, and a rebooted Fremantle has proven the truth in that statement by springing a jaw-dropping upset on the Western Bulldogs by 16 points at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.

In a contest that pitted the unbeaten reigning premiers against a seemingly dispirited and winless Dockers outfit apparently in disarray after an 89-point belting from Port Adelaide, it was the home side who laid an ambush and caused a massive boilover.

Full match coverage and stats

After a week of intense scrutiny on every facet of the club, Fremantle's new-look line-up – with six changes from round two – played with the verve and dare fans have been craving to notch a remarkable 13.11 (89) to 10.13 (73) triumph. 

Coach Ross Lyon's dour game-plan was under the microscope but Freo let go of the handbrake, bravely flicking the ball around from half-back and attacking at pace through the corridor, taking the game on from the opening bounce. 

Five talking points: Fremantle v Western Bulldogs

The Dockers burst out of the blocks, with one of their new faces – elevated rookie Brady Grey – igniting their surge with a lovely long-range goal in the opening minutes.

It set the tone for a thrilling contest, with Freo kicking the first four majors before the shell-shocked visitors had even scored to whip the 28,865-strong partisan home crowd into a frenzy.

Lachie Hunter steadied the Dogs either side of quarter-time, booting three goals – including a beauty from the pocket – but from a barely believable 19 points up at the first change the Dockers headed into the rooms with a seven-point half-time advantage.

If Lyon's youthful side – featuring debutants Griffin Logue and Harley Balic - had any doubts they could finish the job, they didn't show it – even when the Dogs seized control after half-time. 

A five-goal-to-two term inspired by veteran captain Bob Murphy (20 disposals, two goals) and his heir apparent, young superstar Marcus Bontempelli (24, one) surged Luke Beveridge's outfit into a 14-point advantage at the final change.

But the Dockers refused to go away, with inspirational small forward Michael Walters stepping up to boot two goals in the final term as the home crowd willed Freo to victory.

When Hayden Crozier, another inclusion, showed quick thinking to rove a spillage close to goal and snap over his shoulder, the Dockers hit the front by four points with 13 minutes remaining.

It was a lead they wouldn't relinquish, with former skipper David Mundy hammering the final nail in the Dogs' coffin after intercepting Easton Wood's risky pass across goal and kicking truly to seal a five-goal-to-nil final term. 

The purple-clad crowd jumped to their feet in unison at the final siren, celebrating a victory that has erased the demons of last week's humiliating effort against the Power.

Speaking post-match, Lyon hailed his side's pressure in the rousing victory.

"I thought we tackled and pressured really well. The Bulldogs went to a premiership on pressuring and tackling and then exploding away," he said.

"One swallow doesn't make a summer, does it? I thought there was a bit to like in there."

Freo's six inclusions offered a new look to the home side, with Grey (19 disposals, five tackles, one goal) outstanding with his forward pressure and tenacity.

Crozier (20 disposals) booted two goals in a lively display, while Tommy Sheridan (16) and Ethan Hughes (11) had their moments.  

Logue's ability to find the football (10 disposals) and stand up in the contest was impressive for a teenager, while midfielder Harley Balic was tough at the coalface.

Dockers skipper Nat Fyfe was superb in the final term for the home side and finished with 33 touches, with brothers Stephen (33) and Bradley Hill (25) also outstanding.

Mundy had 29 touches and booted two goals in a new role spending plenty of time in attack, while recruit Shane Kersten (two goals) took a screamer and played his best game in purple.

Key defender Joel Hamling was superb against his former side, blanketing Travis Cloke.

The Dogs were well-served by Luke Dahlhaus (31 disposals) and superboot Matt Suckling (30), while Jason Johannisen's (29, one goal) run worried Freo and Hunter (26) was a shining light all match.

But ultimately the Dockers had the answers and, after being the last team to defeat the Dogs in Matthew Pavlich's farewell game last year, they snapped the Bulldogs' winning streak at six games.

"I thought Fremantle's performance was quite outstanding," Beveridge said.

"They jumped us obviously, clear as day. We weren't prepared for that unfortunately and it felt like we were before the game. 

"We expected a fight from them but it took us a lot of energy to claw our way back and I thought we had a very good third quarter and just didn't capitalise on all those entries. 

"Then they came again and full credit to them, they played really, really well."

The Dogs are left licking their wounds on the way back to Victoria, with premiership hero Liam Picken their chief concern after he was felled in the second quarter by Tommy Sheridan and played no further part in the game due to concussion.

Fremantle's unforgettable first win for the season lifts the Dockers off the bottom of the ladder up to 12th spot, with a significantly brighter outlook ahead. 

MEDICAL ROOM
Fremantle: The Dockers seemingly got through unscathed.  

Western Bulldogs: Picken was wobbly coming off the ground and was ruled out quickly from playing any further part. He will be assessed this week. 

NEXT UP
The Dockers head to the MCG to face Melbourne – without suspended stars Jesse Hogan and Jordan Lewis and injured ruckman Max Gawn – next Saturday, while the Bulldogs will play in the historic first Good Friday clash against North Melbourne.

The new Dockers celebrate their first win in purple. Picture: AFL Photos

FREMANTLE                      4.4    6.7    8.10    13.11    (89)                  
WESTERN BULLDOGS     1.3    5.5   10.12   10.13    (73)           

GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 3, Kersten 2, McCarthy 2, Mundy 2, Crozier 2, Weller, Grey
Western Bulldogs: Hunter 3, Murphy 2, Bontempelli, M.Boyd, Stringer, McLean, Johannisen 

BEST 
Fremantle: S.Hill, Fyfe, Mundy, Hamling, Sandilands, Crozier, Walters
Western Bulldogs: Liberatore, Hunter, Dahlhaus, Macrae, Jong, Suckling 

INJURIES 
Western Bulldogs: Picken (concussion) 
Fremantle: Nil 

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Ryan, Mitchell 

Official crowd: 28,865 at Domain Stadium