FREMANTLE'S third finals win in the club's 18-year history was undoubtedly its best.
The seventh-placed Fremantle faced one of football's biggest tasks - an in-form Geelong at the MCG in the first week of the finals.
Many had tipped the Cats to be the genuine premiership contender outside the top four but Fremantle put paid to that idea with the first seven goals of the game.
It was a watershed moment for Fremantle and for coach Ross Lyon who couldn't have arrived at his new club with any more scrutiny and pressure.
Not that Lyon was going to buy into any of the hype that is sure to come Fremantle's way.
"At the end of the day this is a final. We've finished seventh and we've come and won one final. There's no coming of age, this is about one week and one final," Lyon said.
"That's all it means, we get to go to the next grid and have a go. We're a serious football club and we are about improvement. One win doesn't make or break football clubs, we haven't achieved anything yet so let's be really clear on that."
Lyon has preached the mantra of 'anyone, anytime, anywhere' all season long and admitted conquering one of football's biggest mountains was a significant confidence boost for a team that had struggled in the past with travelling across the continent.
"It certainly builds the belief to come interstate against an enormous team with home-ground support. It was a really good effort, I thought, by us.
"Geelong, to their credit, kept coming. They worked their way back into the game and had a more dominant second half than us."
Not surprisingly Geelong came back hard at Fremantle after conceding a seven-goal headstart.
The Cats kicked three consecutive goals in the second quarter and brought the margin back to 17 points in the final term.
"I think you've got to give credit to the Cats. They started winning centre-square bounces and some clearances and found some space quite well," Lyon said.
"The second part when we had opportunities, I thought we gave it back quite easily and I think three of those were in front of goal for us."
Fremantle now faces Adelaide next week with another road trip and a six-day break to contend with. But Lyon was not about to lament any perceived disadvantage.
"That's the business when you finish seventh. People earn the right for the longer break and the double chance," he said.
"That's reality and I've got no problem with that."
Luke Holmesby is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter - @AFL_Luke
