The Crows fielded five more players than Fremantle and it proved decisive in a 13.11 (89) to 13.6 (84) win in a match played in 34-degree heat.
Star midfielder Stephen Hill copped an arm injury and Michael Walters hurt an ankle, but neither was serious, coach Ross Lyon said.
"(Walters) just had a niggle in an ankle and then he got a cork on his calf so we just tapped him out, the same as Hill," Lyon said.
"Hill had a bit of a numb arm for a minute and was just a bit vulnerable, he's pretty important to us so we tapped him out.
"He had a bit of a dead arm but he had full strength, which is a really good sign."
Nat Fyfe didn’t play the first quarter, but he put on a midfield master-class in the second term, amassing 10 disposals (six contested), four clearances and a goal.
The 21-year-old star ended up with 19 disposals (11 contested) and six clearances.
David Mundy also made a successful return to competitive action after a minor ankle injury had kept him out of the intra-club and first NAB Cup round.
Jon Griffin rucked most of the game to finish with nine disposals and 27 hitouts, while 21-year-old recruit Jack Hannath had four touches and nine hitouts in a back-up role.
There were also heartening signs from Jesse Crichton, who had 19 disposals running out of defence, and Zac Clarke, who looked strong and fit in gaining 15 disposals, seven marks and a goal.
Michael Barlow was his usual tireless self, collecting 27 disposals in the midfield, while Tendai Mzungu and Hayden Crozier both kicked two goals.
Freo began the game with a three-pronged tall forward set-up that included Kepler Bradley, Clarke and draftee Tanner Smith.
Small forwards Walters and Crozier benefitted, kicking three goals between them in the first quarter as the visitors led by 29 at the first change.
Walters was the star of the opening term as he used his sublime foot skills to set up two goals for teammates through scything delivery.
Freo led by 35 points at the half, but the Crows, using their extra players, scored nine goals to three in the second half.
Despite a valiant effort in the final term, Ross Lyon’s side couldn’t hold on against an opponent with more fresh legs on the park, although it took the Crows until the 21st minute of the final quarter to take the lead for the first time.
Fremantle veteran Kepler Bradley had a shot at goal to tie the scores with 15 seconds remaining, but missed.
In an indication of its reduced ability to work hard and run for each other after half-time, Freo had 47 fewer handball receives in the second half compared to the first.
But Lyon refused to blame Freo’s reduced rotations, adding that the Crows had come into this contest off a six-day break.
“We both walk away having created the opportunity we wanted to, to expose young players and condition our senior players,” he said.
“We knew it’d be a challenge in the third quarter, but we accepted the challenge.
“We walk away satisfied and conditioned.”
