Fremantle has continued its undefeated start to the season, beating Adelaide by 35 points at Optus Stadium in a Good Friday scrap, leaving the Crows winless as they prepare to launch Gather Round in six days.
In a low-scoring game, it was the Dockers who composed themselves when the game was on the line, winning 9.15 (69) to 4.10 (34) and celebrating their best start to a season since 2015.
Only 10 points separated the teams at three-quarter time after neither could capitalise on their chances in the third term, but the Dockers were ruthless in the run home, kicking four unanswered goals as a bumper crowd of 51,037 made Good Friday football in Perth a success.
Bailey Banfield, Josh Treacy, Matt Taberner and Michael Frederick all kept their cool when chances presented and slotted goals, while a brilliant, in-form backline kept the Crows at bay during their forays forward.
Michael Walters was electric early and could have kicked a big bag if not for inaccuracy, finishing with 2.4 from 21 disposals, with Taberner and Jye Amiss adding two each as the game's only other multiple goalkickers.
Adelaide is now 0-3 for the first time since coach Matthew Nicks' first season in 2020 and launches Gather Round against Melbourne next Thursday night in a crunch game for the Club.
The Crows brought pressure and intensity to the contest, but their ability to link up from the midfield with their forward line was well off again, resulting in their lowest score since round 17, 2021.
With neither Fremantle or Adelaide able to win an opening quarter so far this season and determined to reverse that trend, the pressure was on from the opening bounce as players attacked the contested ball and laid strong tackles.
Clark's chasedown of Ned McHenry was a highlight in his 50th game for the Dockers, while the Crows forced their opponents into skill errors with their own pressure.
Both teams looked their best when they could move quickly and kick through the congestion, with Ben Keays kicking the opener after Walker and Josh Rachele pierced through the Dockers with quick transition on the way to a three-point lead at the first break.
The Dockers dominated a second quarter that was full of feeling, if not getting full reward on the scoreboard. They controlled field position with 16 inside 50s to seven, and were the better team in the contest.
They kicked four behinds in a row, however, before Walters snapped accurately to give the Dockers their first lead of the day. When Young split through a stoppage on the wing and kicked long, Amiss converted off the ground to give Freo an eight-point lead at the main break.
Only two goals were kicked in a scrappy third term, with the game still on the line early in the fourth when the Dockers stepped up and delivered in front of goals.
FREMANTLE 2.2 4.7 5.12 9.15 (69)
ADELAIDE 2.5 3.5 4.8 4.10 (34)
GOALS
Fremantle: Taberner 2, Walters 2, Amiss 2, Banfield, Frederick, Treacy
Adelaide: Burgess, Keays, McHenry, Sholl
BEST
Fremantle: Young, Pearce, Ryan, Clark, Fyfe, Walters
Adelaide: Crouch, Laird, Dawson, Soligo
INJURIES
Fremantle: Nil
Adelaide: Milera (knee), Murphy (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Jaeger O'Meara (replaced Tom Emmett at three-quarter time)
Adelaide: Lachlan Murphy (replaced Luke Pedler in the third quarter)
Crowd: 51,037 at Optus Stadium
