Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is not getting ahead of himself despite guiding his side to a memorable three-point win over Geelong that proved their credentials as a genuine premiership contender.
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Blake Acres and Andrew Brayshaw starred as Fremantle belied the injury-enforced absences of Sean Darcy and Matt Taberner, along with giving up the first three goals of Saturday's game, to prevail 10.9 (69) to 10.6 (66) in one of the finest victories of Longmuir's tenure.
Fremantle is now 6-1 and second behind reigning premiers Melbourne, despite skipper Nat Fyfe (back) not playing all season and Longmuir believed the start to the season showed they could compete with the league's best.
READ JL'S FULL POST-MATCH Q&A HERE
"I do (believe that) because we're playing a really strong, defensive, contested game and we're able to adapt in games," he said.
"But we haven't done anything as a footy Club yet, or this year anyway.
"We've got plenty of work ahead of us and this game's got a real knack of pulling you into line if you get too far ahead of yourself."
Fremantle's fourth win in 19 attempts at Kardinia Park included keeping Geelong goalless from the 28-minute mark of the first quarter until the 20th minute of the third.
"I don't know where it (the win) stacks. As a coach, you don't really sit around rating them but it was a great win," Longmuir said.
"We came down here prepared for an arm wrestle and prepared to go the distance, because that's what you have to do down here.
"We fought and that's become a part of our brand is we just keep fighting and we were able to do that."
The Cats were without Patrick Dangerfield, who coach Chris Scott expected to return in round eight.
But they will sweat on the fitness of Max Holmes (ankle) was substituted for Luke Dahlhaus in the second quarter while Rhys Stanley (ankle) hobbled off late.
Scott was left to lament conservative ball movement and poor contest work in the second and third quarters.
"We didn't really like how we played around the ball through that period, which is so important to our game and it's been a bit of a pattern throughout the year," he said.
"We contributed to their defence a lot in playing wide a lot and playing skinny going inside 50 ... The first part of the game was pretty good and the very last part of the game.
"It's hard to remind yourself of the positives when you have a frustrating day like today but I'm still full of admiration for the way our players hang in there."
