GEELONG has paid a heavy price after being on the wrong end of another Fremantle ambush, losing key players Mark Blicavs and Tom Hawkins to hamstring injuries and squandering their spot in the top eight.
The Dockers wiped out a seven-point deficit deep in the final term on Saturday, with Michael Frederick and Lachie Schultz kicking spectacular late goals as the visitors triumphed at GMHBA Stadium.
The Cats will now need to win at least three of their remaining four home and away games to keep their premiership defence alive.
Versatile tall Blicavs - one of only five Cats to play all 19 games to date in 2023 - exited midway through the second term with what club doctors called "a moderate hamstring injury", while spearhead Hawkins went off late in the final term and also did not return.
Although they are well out of finals contention, the Dockers have now beaten Geelong twice this year, while they also won a three-point thriller at GMHBA Stadium early in 2022.
"We're going through our ups and downs," Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said post-game.
CATS v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats
"What I've said all along is I think our best footy is good enough.
"It's just our consistency that has let us down this year and we haven't found the right formula often enough."
The Dockers were well-served by key defenders Luke Ryan and Alex Pearce, while Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Luke Jackson mostly held sway in the midfield.
Geelong key forward Jeremy Cameron had a rare off-day in front of the big sticks, finishing with 1.5.
"(Cameron) is not quite looking himself at the moment but we're confident that he can turn that around really quickly," Chris Scott said post-game
"Our guys ahead of the ball who have been so good for so long just didn't have good days but they were in good company - we weren't that good up the ground either."
Young midfielder Tanner Bruhn and intercepting defender Tom Stewart were among the Cats' best, but Scott acknowledged the team had some glaring issues that needed to be addressed if they were to push into the September action.
"We're just not in the habit of explaining it to our opposition over the next couple of weeks (what has been specifically going wrong)," said Scott.
"But even if you're just watching, the generalisation is we've got some players who have been really, really effective, but who are off their best at the moment."
Geelong play flag fancies Port Adelaide and Collingwood in the next two weeks before rounding out the home and away season against St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs.