FREMANTLE has staged another fighting come-from-behind win, this time overrunning a tiring Essendon outfit by 37 points in energy-sapping conditions at Domain Stadium on Sunday.

With the mercury pushing towards 30 degrees in Perth, the Bombers threw everything at the home side early and raced to a 27-point lead in the second term.

Full match coverage and stats

But, playing their third game in 13 days, John Worsfold's men grew increasingly ragged and couldn't hold off the fast-finishing Dockers.

Fuelled by self-belief from thrilling fightback victories over the Bulldogs, Demons and Kangaroos, Fremantle hung in long enough before finding a spark in a six-goal-to-four third quarter. 

Five talking points: Fremantle v Essendon

Willed on by a 33,393-strong crowd, the Dockers finished full of running, hitting the front for the first time when Cam McCarthy steered through a tough set shot at the six-minute mark of the last term and motoring away to a 17.14 (116) to 11.13 (79) win.

McCarthy's second from deep in the pocket iced the cake, after recalled big man Matt Taberner bagged his fourth after an encouraging return in his first game for the season. 

WATCH: Tab's sparkling return to senior action

Freo's forward line had more bite with Taberner alongside recruits McCarthy and Shane Kersten (two goals), with the Dockers topping the ton for only the second time in 17 games.

The victory lifted Fremantle back into a positive win-loss ledger at 4-3 and meant that every team lower on the ladder than their opponent heading into round seven emerged victorious for the first time in an 18-team competition. 

The Dons (now 3-4) looked in desperate need of a freshen-up after slumping to their second-straight loss and sixth defeat in a row in Perth.

Fremantle's speedy wingman Bradley Hill (37 disposals) and skipper Nat Fyfe (26, two goals) were instrumental in the Dockers' turnaround from a lacklustre opening half.

Hill racked up 12 touches in a huge third quarter, while Fyfe bounced back from a quiet first half with nine disposals and a major to inspire his side. 

Ball magnet Lachie Neale (40 possessions) was superb throughout for Freo, while Michael Walters (26) lifted after two games below his lofty standards.

Michael Hurley (nine marks) was a rock for the Bombers in defence all match, but the star backman couldn’t hold back the surging purple tide after half-time.

In warm conditions, Essendon laid the pattern for the match early, sharing the ball by foot and methodically working through Fremantle's zone.

The Dons took a deserved 13-point break into quarter-time, although Freo could've been closer if it not for some wasted gilt-edged chances in front of goal. 

Ross Lyon decided not to send tagger Connor Blakely to one opponent in the first half, and Brendon Goddard (25 disposals), Zach Merrett (28, one goal) and Dyson Heppell (23, one) were the architects of Essendon's strong start. 

But Blakely locked down on Merrett after the long break, holding him to nine touches after half-time as the Dockers turned the tide following Essendon's early damage. 

The Bombers threatened to break away after edging to a 27-point lead, with twin towers Cale Hooker (two goals) and Joe Daniher (three-straight goals) looming large in attack.

Daniher had his kicking boots on after misfiring for 1.6 in a costly loss to Melbourne last round, and the Bombers' coach was upbeat about his spearhead despite the loss.  

"Joe is a very good footballer and he is going to improve," Worsfold said. 

"He is still in his development phase as a tall forward so there's plenty of upside still. 

"(Kicking around the corner) is part of his routine. He's got a set routine depending on where he's having his shot from. He's not doing that as a panic. 

"If he kicks the goal then he's doing his job." 

The Dockers were repeatedly shooting themselves in the foot with stilted and error-riddled ball movement, but Ross Lyon's men finally found some momentum nearing half-time. 

Late majors to Hayden Crozier and Taberner kept the margin to a manageable 13 points at the long change, with the Dockers within striking distance as Essendon's fatigue seemingly set in – although Lyon didn't subscribe to that view post-match.

"I think that's simplistic, isn't it?" he said.

"I thought they started really well, we were disappointed with the way we were playing.

"We knew they control the ball and because it was hot they would try and do that more so.

"We didn't get it back off them very well … but we changed some things up. The heat didn't change much. 

"I thought from halfway through the second quarter we really started to get to work, got the ball back off them and were scoring quite well."  

MEDICAL ROOM
Fremantle: Veteran onballer David Mundy was sore after copping a kick to his leg but came back on and was fine.

Essendon: The Bombers appeared to escape unscathed. 

NEXT UP
The Dockers travel to the MCG for an intriguing clash against Richmond, which has lost the past two games, on Sunday while Essendon needs to regroup for a marquee match-up against an under-pressure Geelong, also at the home of football, on Saturday.

FREMANTLE   2.2   5.6   11.10   17.14   (116)                  
ESSENDON     4.3   7.7   11.12   11.13    (79)            

GOALS

Fremantle: Taberner 4, Kersten 2, McCarthy 2, Fyfe 2, Grey 2, Neale, Crozier, B. Hill, Mundy, Balic
Essendon: Daniher 3, Hooker 2, Z. Heppell, Merrett, Gleeson, Hurley, McDonald-Tipungwuti, Green 

BEST 
Fremantle: Neale, Fyfe, Taberner, B. Hill, Walters, Kersten
Essendon: Hurley, Heppell, Daniher, Z. Merrett, Goddard, Hooker 

INJURIES 

Fremantle: Nil
Essendon: Nil 

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Schmitt, Williamson, Pannell

Official crowd: 33,393 at Domain Stadium