Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Fremantle Dockers remain one of the leading AFL premiership threats in 2026, even after their 14-match winning run was snapped by Greater Western Sydney Giants in Canberra last Saturday.
The Dockers had gone three and a half months without defeat before the Giants produced one of the season’s biggest upsets, beating the ladder leaders despite sitting 14th and carrying injury problems.
The loss has sharpened the discussion around Fremantle’s flag credentials, with Jeremy Cameron’s reaction to the Geelong Cats loss to Brisbane Lions adding another talking point to a tense AFL premiership race.
Fremantle Face New Pressure At The Top
Being the best side in the AFL brings its own challenge. Opponents prepare for Fremantle differently now, and every week has become a test of focus, structure and nerve.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir accepted that reality after the defeat, while making it clear he would not trade places with another club.
"I'd probably rather be where we are than any other team. It presents different challenges in terms of mindset and making sure you prepare well every week," Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said after last week's loss.
"[It's] understanding that teams can change things up against you and throw different things at us.
"So it just presents a different challenge but yeah I'd rather be where we are [than anyone else]."
Greater Western Sydney Giants coach Adam Kingsley understood the size of the result. His side did not just beat a contender, they beat the team that had set the pace for most of the campaign.
"This group's good enough. We proved it today. Just knocked off the best team [Fremantle]."
A Tall Forward Line Built To Stretch Defences
Fremantle’s rise has been built on height, balance and role clarity. No AFL side has used more tall players week to week, and that looks far more like planning than chance.
The Dockers have trusted a big structure even when depth has been tested, turning to players such as Mason Cox and Oscar McDonald when needed. That preference gives Fremantle strong marking outlets, better ground coverage and a way to slow opposition rebound.
The forward line is the most obvious example. Josh Treacy, Patrick Voss and Jye Amiss give Fremantle a three-pronged tall attack that can punish defenders in different ways.
Jye Amiss plays closer to goal and keeps defenders pinned deep. Josh Treacy works as a contested marking target higher up the field, helping Fremantle move the ball through traffic.
Patrick Voss brings energy, power and a disruptive edge. His athletic profile makes him a difficult match-up, especially when Fremantle can isolate him against slower defenders.
"They're a fantastic forward line group particularly. Those key forwards are really, really hard to play on," Kingsley said in the wake of their win.
Fremantle also changes the look by using Isaiah Dudley as a deeper option at times. That can drag a mobile tall defender into awkward territory and create a mismatch near goal.
The Dockers are not simply bombing the ball to tall targets. They score heavily from outside 30 metres, with Josh Treacy, Patrick Voss and Jye Amiss all converting long-range chances at above league-average accuracy when shot difficulty is considered.
Official AFL fixtures, ladders and match data are available through the Australian Football League website.
Defence Still Drives The Premiership Case
Big forwards bring attention, but Fremantle’s defence may still be the cleanest part of their game. Alex Pearce and the Dockers’ back unit have been the foundation of a side that gives up fewer easy scores than any rival.
Modern AFL defence depends on timing, handovers and trust rather than one defender following one opponent all day. Fremantle’s back group has spent years learning those habits under a stable coaching set-up.
That continuity shows in the numbers. Fremantle have allowed the fewest points from stoppages, intercepts and front-half scoring this season.
The intercept game has been especially strong. Fremantle concede 37.6 points per game from intercepts, well ahead of Port Adelaide in second at 44.8.
The Dockers also allow the fewest goals per opposition inside 50 in the league. That gives them a finals-ready base, because even when the game turns messy, their defensive shape usually holds.
Their pressure starts higher up the ground. Fremantle are strong around the ball, win it back quickly after opposition first possession and make opponents kick under heat.
How Greater Western Sydney Giants Found A Way
The Giants showed that Fremantle can be beaten if a side blocks supply and refuses to be intimidated by the Dockers’ size. Their win was not a fluke, but the result of pressure, planning and execution.
"I thought probably — maybe — our players took a little bit more responsibility throughout the week for their preparation and for ensuring that we stick to the plan," Kingsley said after the win.
"They're a pretty good team. This will be, you know, a little bump in their road, but they're still a very, very good team and will continue to be. The reality is the players play and they went out and executed a really good plan and did a great job."
Connor Idun was central to that plan, switching between tall and small forwards and limiting the match-ups Fremantle usually exploit.
The Giants also lost the hit-outs by 20 but won clearances by 14. That showed how body positioning and contest pressure can reduce Fremantle’s ruck edge.
"Credit to them. I thought their physicality was great and we weren't able to buffer it or match it," Longmuir said.
"When teams go in probably expecting to lose the hit-out, they can be a bit more defensive and a little bit more physical. And we probably felt like we didn't get the space we've had previously today."
Dockers Must Prove The Loss Was A One-Off
Fremantle’s next challenge is a 1 vs 2 meeting on a short turnaround. It is the kind of game that can reset momentum or deepen questions after a rare loss.
"We've valued the right things largely this year and we've got a short turnaround to be able to get back on the horse," Longmuir added.
The coach was also clear that Fremantle would not let one result define their season.
"We're on top of the ladder. Trust me, we're not going to catastrophise one loss too much," Longmuir said in Canberra.
"We've already touched on and shown some clips around what let us down and where our mindset was today. We'll move on pretty quickly. As a coach you try and work on trends and not events … so definitely not going to overreact to one loss."
For a club with only one Grand Final appearance across three decades, the stakes are obvious. Fremantle still have the talls, defence and ladder position to chase a first AFL flag, but their response this week will say plenty about how ready they are for September.
