Fremantle’s first six games of the 2010 season featured four games against top eight sides from 2009, including the two grand finalists Geelong and St Kilda. Given Freo had finished 14^th the year before, it didn’t look pretty on paper.

But a young Fremantle team stunned everyone and sat at 5-1 after a Derby win in round six, with their only blemish being a 15-point loss to the Saints at Etihad Stadium in round four.

Round seven featured another clash against a 2009 top eight side in the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba, where Fremantle had played eight times since 1995 against the Brisbane Bears and Lions, and had been defeated on every occasion.

On top of that, Fremantle hadn’t defeated the Lions since round nine, 2004.

Stephen Hill, playing in his 29^th game, recalls going up against some of Brisbane’s triple premiership players.

“I was a young guy, second year in, coming up against guys like Simon Black, Luke Power, their team was quite strong,” Hill said.

“So to get a win over there was pleasing.”

TABtouch 22: Three talls in for Freo

Despite Brisbane kicking four of the first five goals of the game, Fremantle kicked four unanswered goals to take the lead before the quarter time siren, a lead they would hold for the rest of the night.

Fremantle’s slick ball use and tackling pressure enabled them to take control of the game, as Hill and David Mundy dominated in the midfield. Fremantle’s defence held the Lions to one goal for the quarter, while the Freo Dockers kicked four of their own to open up a 23 point lead at half-time.

In the second half, it was Fremantle’s own kicking at goal which prevented the margin from blowing out and kept Brisbane in the contest. Freo finished with a wasteful 6.14 (50) for the half and 23 behinds for the game. Captain Matthew Pavlich and Anthony Morabito were the main culprits with four behinds each, but both made up for it with their work around the ground.

In the final term, the Lions roared home, twice bringing the margin down to a goal, but both times Fremantle were up for the challenge and responded with goals.

Finally, with less than three minutes to play, Hill kicked a long ball inside 50, where Chris Mayne followed the ball off the pack and slammed home the sealing goal from point blank range.

In the end, Freo prevailed 15.23 (113) to 15.10 (100), moving them to 6-1 and setting up a top of the table matchup against Collingwood at Subiaco Oval.

Hill finished best afield with 32 disposals and nine inside 50s, whilst Mundy finished with 29 disposals, nine inside 50’s and six clearances.

Fremantle’s veterans had a night to remember, as Pavlich finished with 27 disposals and three goals, Paul Hasleby with 23 disposals and two goals, while key defenders Luke McPharlin and Chris Tarrant performed a blanket job on Brisbane’s Coleman Medal winning pair Jonathan Brown (one goal) and Brendan Fevola (three).

Match preview v Brisbane

“Those guys were great players and they led the way, and eventually the younger guys came along and played their role,” Hill said.

The win at the Gabba was another milestone in what turned out to be a fantastic season for Fremantle, as the team would end up making it to a semi-final against Geelong.

The win also started a winning streak of eight games over the Lions, which Freo will be hoping to extend to nine on Saturday afternoon.

Hill says the side will have to come together on the trip to Queensland.

“It’s just the players and coaching staff away from home, so if we stick together, hopefully we can enjoy a win away from home, and hopefully we can continue to improve our footy,” Hill said.

“We saw improvement on the weekend just gone, and hopefully we can keep using the ball and moving the ball better this week again and see how we go.”

Fremantle take on the Brisbane Lions at 2:35pm AWST.