The 13th annual Len Hall Game brought out the best in the Dockers, who led all night until 14 minutes into the final quarter and were attacking when the final siren blew.
Captain Matthew Pavlich was superb with five goals and had the chance to win the game, but hit the post from a set shot with 35 seconds remaining.
The Dockers had one more chance after that, but it was former East Fremantle player and Pavlich's opponent for much of the night, Harry Taylor, that took a mark to clinch Geelong's victory and consign Fremantle to a 1-5 record to start the season.
While the 13.11 (89) to 13.10 (88) result was a Fremantle loss, it was without question the best performance any side has put in against Geelong this year, and Fremantle's best effort. The pressure and intensity of the game was tremendous and the Dockers challenge will now be to continue that.
Aaron Sandilands carried the ruck and played his best game for the club with 24 possessions, six marks and a massive 42 hit outs.
Pavlich, in his 150th straight match, finished with 21 possessions, eight marks and five goals. Former captain Peter Bell again worked tirelessly to finish with a team-high 31 disposals.
Garrick Ibbotson also played his best game to finish with 27 disposals. Michael Johnson also had 27, with Scott Thornton and Dean Solomon terrific.
Fremantle's first quarter was without question its best of the season. The intensity and pressure the Dockers put on the Cats was outstanding and had the reigning premiers rattled.
To show the intent to stand up and put Geelong under the pump, Solomon lined up in the middle alongside Josh Carr and Ryan Crowley, who were running with Jimmy Bartel and Gary Ablett respectively.
Pavlich nailed the first goal two minutes in and the second just under 10 minutes later to give the Dockers an ideal start. Solomon then kicked truly soon after to give the home side the opening three goals before Geelong got on the board through Cameron Mooney.
Fremantle kept the pressure up the rest of the quarter to lead by 17 points at the first change and received a standing ovation from an appreciative home crowd.
If they thought the start to the first was good, the second was even better. The Dockers got four goals inside the opening 12 minutes, two of which went to Pavlich, one to Ibbotson and Solomon, to put them up by 39 points – unheard of against Geelong since early in 2007.
Geelong did get one back but when Jeff Farmer nailed a goal from beyond 50m, the Dockers were back on top by 39.
However, the reigning premiers were always going to come at some point and they did in the last 10 minutes of the half. Geelong booted six goals in that time to reduce Fremantle's lead to just two at the long break.
Momentum might have been with Geelong going into half time, but Fremantle again turned it around to kick four goals to nil in a brilliant third quarter to earn another standing ovation.
Geelong only managed three behinds as Murphy, Crowley, Palmer and Sandilands kicked truly for the Dockers to put them 25 points up at the final change.
The last quarter was a classic. Geelong kicked the first five goals of the term to hit the lead for the first time of the night, but Pavlich kicked his fifth late in the piece to bring the margin back to two. He then hit the post and Fremantle's late attacks were thwarted.
GEELONG 1.1 8.4 8.7 13.11 (89)
FREMANTLE 3.6 8.6 12.8 13.10 (88)
GOALS:
Geelong: S Johnson 3, C Mooney 3, P Chapman 2, D Milburn G Ablett, D Wojcinski, T Hawkins, M Stokes.
Fremantle: M Pavlich 5, D Solomon 2, G Ibbotson, J Farmer, R Murphy, R Crowley, R Palmer, A Sandilands.
BEST:
Geelong: J Selwood, J Corey, C Enright, C Mooney, P Chapman .
Fremantle: A Sandilands, P Bell, G Ibbotson, M Pavlich, R Crowley.
INJURIES:
Geelong: T Harley (buttock)
Fremantle: R Hayden (thigh), S Dodd (cork), A Grover (cork), D Headland (knee) replaced in selected side by S Thornton
Reports: J Carr (Fre) reported in the second quarter by umpire Kennedy for kneeing G Ablett (Gee)
Umpires: L Farmer D Margetts H Kennedy.
Official crowd: 38,022 at Subiaco Oval.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL of the clubs.
