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 into Gather Round in six days.

In a low-scoring game full of skill errors and missed opportunities, it was the Freo 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 Fremantle were ruthless in the run home, kicking four unanswered goals as a record non-RAC Derby 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.

Captain Alex Pearce and sidekick Luke Ryan continued excellent starts to the season, keeping Taylor Walker and Darcy Fogarty to a combined 0.3 while also setting up Freo's attack with their intercepting ability.

Speedster Jordan Clark (26 and seven marks) put his pressure game and composure with the ball to good use, while midfielder Hayden Young (32 and eight clearances) built strongly into the game to become the main architect of Fremantle's ball movement through the middle with his piercing kicking skills and strong body.

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 chase-down of Ned McHenry was a highlight in his 50th game for Fremantle, 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 Fremantle's with quick transition on the way to a three-point lead at the first break.

Fremantle 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 Freo 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 Fremantle stepped up and delivered in front of goals.

Clark trade paying off for Freo
During a period in which the focus has been on the players Fremantle has lost, the Club's pick-up of Jordan Clark at the end of 2021 is one worth noting. Clark played his 50th game for the Freo Dockers on Friday night and was terrific, continuing a strong third season for the club. The 23-year-old finished with 26 disposals and seven marks, with his clean hands, speed and composure under pressure valuable. It was his chase-down tackle on Ned McHenry in the first quarter, however, that the Freo Dockers will highlight. The price of pick No.22 and a swap of later picks with the Cats was one well worth paying.

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