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Fremantle is still on track for a top four finish, defeating cross town rivals West Coast by 24 points at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
The 17th placed Eagles took it up to the Dockers for most of the match but lacked the polish of their opponents, Freo winning 9.17 (71) to 7.5 (47) in front of a season high 53, 818 fans at Optus Stadium.
It was a spiteful derby in David Mundy's last home game (at least in home and away football), with both sides physical early as melees broke out accross the ground, West Coast's pressure rating outstanding as they took a quarter time lead with a four goal first term.
Caleb Serong gave away a 150 m penalty that led to a Jack Redden goal, before Jackson Nelson was penalised 50 metres for high contact to Andrew Brayshaw, the Fremantle young gun kicking truly before a run down tackle from Xavier O'Neill on Heath Chapman saw the Eagles midfielder put his side back in front moments before the siren.
The second term was still a physical and tight affair, both teams with turns at momentum, Blake Acres with a crafty snap before Jack Darling nailed a long range set shot to keep the Eagles ahead, Michael Walters with a sharp finish to keep his team in front at the half.
Tom Barrass' dominant form continued as he kept Rory Lobb quiet, but Fremantle slowly gained the ascendency in the third term as Sean Darcy began to get on top of Nic Naitanui and give his team first use, Will Brodie and Caleb Serong both influential to cover Brayshaw's quieter match, well held by opponent Jackson Nelson.
Justin Longmuir's side led by 17 points with a quarter to play but it could have been more if not for poor goalkicking and the efforts of Barrass and Shannon Hurn deep in defence to keep the Dockers at bay.
Fremantle kept their opponents at bay in the final term in another tight quarter of football, Michael Walters with a sensational snap to push the margin to four goals and close the door on a West Coast challenge.
Jake Waterman nailed his second from the pocket but it was too little too late, Michael Frederick sealing the result with a long range finish moments before the siren to seal an important win for Fremantle, sending Mundy out a winner in his final derby.
It was Fremantle's third derby win in a row, leaving them in touch with a top four finish with just one remaining home and away match against Greater Western Sydney in Canberra next Saturday.
Ruckman Darcy won the Glendinning-Allan Medal for his dominant performance in the middle of the ground, finishing with 16 disposals, 57 hitouts and 1 goal.
Acres (29 disposals and 1 goal), Brodie (28 disposals and 7 clearances) and Serong (25 and 1.1) all had impact for the winners, while Barrass (20 disposals and 12 marks) was again his side's best player, well supported by Liam Duggan who had a game high 30 disposals.
West Coast's dismal season will end at Kardinia Park against Geelong next Saturday, while Fremantle's season will extend in to September regardless of the result with the Giants.
IMAGE: Daily Mail.