Jamarra Ugle-Hagan's star turn up forward has inspired the Western Bulldogs to a 29-point victory over Fremantle that keeps Luke Beveridge's charges firmly in touch with the AFL top four.
Former No.1 pick Ugle-Hagan took several impressive flying marks among nine in total and kicked 4.2 along with teeing up several teammates as he proved the difference against the error-ridden Dockers.
Fremantle posed a far sterner test than when they rolled over at home in round six but lacked poise at crucial moments, with the Bulldogs riding the bumps to prevail 16.6 (102) to 11.7 (73) at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
The Bulldogs (9-6, 36 points) sit fifth on percentage while it was a missed opportunity for Justin Longmuir's Dockers (7-8, 28 points), who remain outside the top eight.
Marcus Bontempelli (27 disposals, nine clearances, 512 metres gained) and Tom Liberatore (21 disposals, 10 clearances) impressed amid Tim English's entertaining ruck duel with Sean Darcy (50 hitouts, 18 disposals).
Michael Walters and Jye Amiss (four goals apiece) kept Fremantle in the game along with typically-busy star midfielder Caleb Serong (38 touches, 10 clearances).
Winger Liam Henry (33 disposals) had plenty of the ball but made some crucial errors while former skipper Nat Fyfe struggled and was substituted early in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs burst out of the blocks with English, Ugle-Hagan and Mitch Hannan delivering a early three-goal lead.
But Walters stopped the rot with a wonderful instinctive snap, then added another to get the Dockers rolling.
Amiss' late snap put the game on level footing ahead of the first break.
From there, the game turned into an arm wrestle.
Ugle-Hagan threatened to break the game open in the opening 10 minutes of the second quarter but kicked 1.2 as the Bulldogs took a six-point lead into half-time.
The Bulldogs snatched the advantage in the third quarter when Henry attempted to take a one-handed mark then lost out to Williams, who shrugged the winger's tackle and kicked a running goal to extend the lead to 11.
Ugle-Hagan took a huge flying pack mark and snagged his fourth goal to put the margin out to 17.
Walters' third kept Fremantle in it at the final change and he cut the deficit to four points early in the fourth term.
Darcy marked and put the Dockers in front - but their joy was short-lived.
Rory Lobb restored the Bulldogs' lead with a lovely long-range shot from a free kick and it proved the first of five consecutive goals that broke the game open as the Bulldogs never looked back.
