An equal career-best four-goal haul from Chris Mayne has helped Fremantle to a comfortable 42-point win over Carlton at Domain Stadium.
The Freo Dockers kicked their highest score since round eight and held the Blues scoreless in the last quarter, to win 13.17 (95) to 8.5 (53).
The home side could have cracked the sought-after 100-point mark for the seventh time this year but they kicked 2.9 in the final term after a downpour at three-quarter time made conditions very slippery.
Ross Lyon post-match Q & A
"I thought we took a step forward," Ross Lyon said post-match.
"We were pretty aggressive with our run and our use.
"We really ended up right on top and 2.9 in the last and 20 entries. So there was a bit to like. We started to do some things better in the second half and lived in our front half. That's what we were after a bit more."
One sour note for Freo was a right shoulder injury to Hayden Ballantyne. He suffered the injury laying a tackle in the first term and returned to play with it strapped in the second quarter but was subbed at half-time.
Talking points from Carlton
"They'll scan him Monday I think," Lyon said.
"He's pretty sore.
"The doctors said he could keep playing and he wanted to keep playing but sometimes you've got to look after them and that's the decision I made to look after him."
It was the sixth time Mayne has bagged four goals in his career and the second time this year. He had a chance to kick his fifth in the final term but narrowly missed to the left.
Mayne splits the goals
Lachie Neale and David Mundy both had 30 plus possessions, and Stephen Hill's ball-use off half-back was a class above throughout the night.
Matthew Pavlich could have collected a big bag but he finished with 2.5.
Michael Walters entered the highlights reel with one of the marks of the season on Lachie Henderson's shoulders in the last quarter.
The Blues worked hard throughout the night but were steamrolled in the last quarter.
Sam Docherty, Marc Murphy, Ed Curnow and Patrick Cripps all had 10 or more contested possessions, while Simon White did an excellent holding job on Nat Fyfe, keeping the Brownlow favourite to 23 possessions while kicking a goal himself.
Tom Bell kicked two goals including a stunner from the boundary.
Carlton jumped Freo early kicking the first two goals, but the home side steadied through two early goals to Pavlich.
The Freo Dockers were dominant at the clearances. They won 11 to five for the quarter with Sandilands delivering seven centre hit-outs for six centre clearances. Mundy gathered 11 disposals for the term and kicked a goal.
Fremantle missed some opportunities in the second term and left the door open for the Blues to stay in touch. Sam Docherty's goal from a stoppage in the shadows of half-time kept the Blues within 15 points at the long break.
The Blues won the clearances 13 to nine in a third term that became increasingly dour the longer it went. Mayne kicked two goals for the quarter, including a volley out of mid-air.
The rain fell relentlessly at three-quarter time and the Freo Dockers sent a torrent of football inside 50 in the last quarter, but could not quite finish.
Fremantle remain a game clear on top of the ladder ahead of a trip to the MCG to face Richmond next Saturday.
The Blues face the mighty task of tackling a red-hot Hawthorn on Friday night.
FREMANTLE 6.2 8.6 11.8 13.17 (95)
CARLTON 3.2 6.3 8.5 8.5 (53)
GOALS
Fremantle: Mayne 4, Pavlich 2, Ballantyne, Griffin, Mundy, D Pearce, Hill, Sandilands, Walters.
Carlton: Bell 2, Menzel, Everitt, Tuohy, Tutt, Docherty, White
BEST
Fremantle: Mundy, Mayne, Hill, Neale, Ibbotson, Spurr.
Carlton: Docherty, White, Murphy, Buckley, Curnow, Bell.
INJURIES
Fremantle: Ballantyne (shoulder)
Carlton: TBC
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Hayden Crozier replaced Hayden Ballantyne at half-time.
Carlton: Brad Walsh replaced Troy Menzel in the third quarter
Reports: TBC
Umpires: Kamolins, Farmer, Dalgleish
Official crowd: 33,581 at Domain Stadium
