TOBY Greene booted four goals as Greater Western Sydney kept its finals hopes alive while significantly denting Fremantle's own aspirations with a 70-point victory at Giants Stadium on Saturday.

Jake Riccardi stepped up after Jesse Hogan's late withdrawal due to calf tightness, booting a career-high five goals to better Greene's four as the Giants won 16.10 (106) to 5.6 (36).

GIANTS v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats

The Giants' triumph means they have won three of their past four games, climbing temporarily into 11th spot on the ladder and past the Dockers, who slumped to back-to-back defeats having won four in a row prior to their bye. The margin was Fremantle's biggest loss in their three-and-a-half years under Justin Longmuir.

GWS led from start to finish, with Fremantle's opening-term struggles continuing as the Giants raced to a 23-point quarter-time lead.

The Dockers were kept goalless in the first quarter and went 35 minutes without a goal from late in the second until Caleb Serong's major with two minutes left in the third.

Adam Kingsley's side enjoyed a 68-44 inside-50 dominance, winning contested possessions 238-216 with a lopsided 16-6 centre-clearance count as Fremantle missed imposing ruckman Sean Darcy. The Giants also moved the ball smoothly in transition and scored effectively from turnovers, while the Dockers never got the game of their terms.

Josh Kelly returned after a three-week absence due to a hamstring injury to record a game-high 33 disposals and three goals, while Stephen Coniglio and Tom Green had 31 touches each, with the latter having 19 contested possessions and six clearances.

Fremantle had few winners, with Serong its best ball-winner with 32 disposals and a goal, while Jordan Clark offered rebound off half-back with 22 disposals and 514m gained.

Andrew Brayshaw was quiet in the first half but finished with 29 disposals and Nat Fyfe had a limited influence with 15 disposals, two marks and a goal.

Green played a lead role in GWS's fast start with 11 disposals in the first term as the Giants kicked four goals to none, including two from Riccardi after Greene had opened the scoring with a 35m set shot.

Fremantle attempted to arrest control and managed two of the next three goals, with Fyfe kicking truly after a fine two-grab mark over Jack Buckley. But the Giants' ability to capitalise on Fremantle's turnovers helped them pull clear again, with Kelly kicking a fine running goal from 50m.

The Dockers had territory early in the third but were blunt in attack. Greene showed them how its done, marking strongly before slotting a 45m set shot.

GWS kicked four goals to one for the term, moving 51 points clear at the final change.

But the Giants kept the foot to the floor, with Riccardi kicking his fifth after a quick rebound from a Fyfe turnover, before Kelly added another two goals to put an exclamation mark on his return and claim the side's biggest win under Kingsley.

Dockers' slow-start woes continue
Fremantle was caught out early as its first quarter issues struck once again, losing the opening term for the 12th time from 13 games this year. In a new low, the Dockers were kept goalless in the first quarter for the first time this year, managing only 0.2 as the Giants raced to a game-defining 23-point quarter-time lead. Fremantle's first-term woes date back to last year, losing the opening quarters in their last four games of 2022 including managing only 0.1 in both of their finals against the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood. Longmuir will be desperate for a solution.

Greene brings up 300 career goals
Greene needed three goals on Saturday to reach the 300-goal milestone for his career and he achieved that before half-time. Fremantle matched up the two-time All-Australian with Luke Ryan, who shut down former Coleman Medalist Jeremy Coleman last month, but Greene proved too good for the Dockers defender. Greene brought up his 300th goal with a brilliant piece of forward craft, instinctively roving the pack from a contested mark and slotting on the run to open up a 30-point lead at half-time. With 36 goals for the year, Greene appears on his way to another All-Australian blazer.

MRO worry after Whitfield tackle
Lachie Whitfield may be the latest player in hot water for a dangerous tackle after appearing to sling Jordan Clark to the turf late in the second quarter. Clark got to his feet slowly but was able to take his free-kick and play the game out, but the act may attract Match Review Officer scrutiny given the apparent sling and recent run of rough conduct charges for similar offences. Already 21 players have been suspended this season for dangerous tackles.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY    4.1    8.4    12.7   16.10 (106)
FREMANTLE                                0.2    3.4     4.4    5.6 (36)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Riccardi 5, Greene 4, Kelly 3, Brown 2, Whitfield, Lloyd
Fremantle: Sturt 2, Walters, Fyfe, Serong

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Greene, Green, Riccardi, Coniglio, Briggs, Idun
Fremantle: Serong, Clark, Brayshaw, Henry, Sturt

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Haynes (ankle)
Fremantle: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Greater Western Sydney: Jesse Hogan (calf tightness), replaced in the selected side by Aaron Cadman
Fremantle: Michael Frederick (ankle), replaced in the selected side by Sam Sturt

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Ryan Angwin (replaced Nick Haynes in the fourth quarter)
Fremantle: Neil Erasmus (replaced Matthew Johnson in the third quarter)

Crowd: 8,634 at Giants Stadium