Fremantle has snatched a remarkable five-point victory from North Melbourne, with recruit Shane Kersten stepping up to be the hero by booting the match-winning goal in the final minute at Domain Stadium on Saturday night.
In a stunning fightback from 29 points down early in the third quarter, the Freo Dockers overran the tiring visitors to consign Brad Scott's winless side to a 0-5 record.
The 9.13 (67) to 9.8 (62) triumph continued Fremantle's resurgence, lifting them to a 3-2 record and back into the finals mix after back-to-back victories over the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and now the Roos.
It was the second-straight week Freo has survived in a last-gasp contest, after Cam McCarthy's toepoke clinched a nail-biter against the Demons, with coach Ross Lyon pleased by the Freo Dockers' grit.
"I think you build trust in your teammate that the bloke next to you is going to keep digging away and digging in for you and isn’t going to flick the bails – that's how you get momentum," Lyon said post-match.
"Eventually things turn your way."
Seemingly out of it when late inclusion Nathan Hrovat snapped a brilliant major in the last quarter to extend North's lead to eight points, the Freo Dockers refused to give in and delivered a famous win.
Key defender Michael Johnson reduced the margin to a point at the 28-minute mark, before former Cats forward Kersten snapped a stunning major over his shoulder to send the 33,319-strong crowd into raptures.
The Roos surged the ball forward but Freo held on.
It will be a bitter pill to swallow for North, who have now blown sizeable third-quarter leads against Geelong, the Dogs and Fremantle to remain winless.
The visitors will be ropeable after holding sway for long swathes of the contest, having hit back after Freo booted the first two goals with seven unanswered majors.
Fremantle went goalless from the 13-minute mark of the first quarter until 14 minutes into the third term when top draftee Griffin Logue got his goal radar working and kicked his first AFL goal.
Freo closed to within 15 points at the final change and had enough run in their legs to snatch the win.
There were heroes on both sides in the dying stages.
Feisty Fremantle Dockers forward Brady Grey threaded the eye of the needle to close the margin to a point, before Hrovat answered with a classy snap.
When fellow recruit Marley Williams charged down Ed Langdon as he ran into an open goal it appeared the Roos would hold on.
Earlier, Fremantle started full of momentum, booting the opening two goals and getting on top around the clearances (12-6) in the first term thanks to Aaron Sandilands' dominance.
North turned the screws in the second stanza, with a ferocious lift in intensity around the ball.
The Roos won contested ball 40-24 for the quarter, and capitalised on the scoreboard with four unanswered majors.
North's confidence was growing – highlighted by talented but injury-prone forward Taylor Garner launching himself onto Garrick's Ibbotson's shoulders and hanging on to a bonafide Mark of the Year contender.
Ibbotson was involved again moments later when he was collected by North skipper Jack Ziebell, who hurt his right knee and needed treatment on the sidelines before soldiering on.
Both sides suffered late injury concerns, with Freo star Stephen Hill appearing to ping a hamstring in the final term, before Goldstein was helped from the field with a right ankle problem.
FREMANTLE 2.3 2.6 4.10 9.13 (67)
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.3 6.5 7.7 9.8 (62)
GOALS
Fremantle: Langdon 2, McCarthy, Logue, Crozier, B. Hill, Grey, Johnson, Kersten
North Melbourne: Turner, Wood, Cunnington, Simpkin, Atley, Goldstein, Dumont, Brown, Hrovat
BEST
Fremantle: Mundy, Johnson, Fyfe, Sandilands, S. Hill, Hamling, Grey
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Williams, Dumont, Macmillan, Tarrant
INJURIES
Fremantle: S. Hill (hamstring)
North Melbourne: Goldstein (ankle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Harris, McInerney, Mollison
Official crowd: 33,319
