For most of 2026, the conversation around Perth's purple half hasn't been about whether Fremantle are good. It's been about whether they're the best team in the country — and, more pointedly, whether this is finally the year the Dockers win a flag they've never held.
The mood is one of a club quietly comfortable being the hunted rather than the hunters. Captain Alex Pearce has reportedly leaned on a simple "1-0" mantra after each win to keep the group focused week to week rather than getting ahead of itself — a sign of how seriously Fremantle are treating a position that, after years of false dawns, feels like a genuine shift in posture.
A start unlike any other in club history
The numbers behind the hype are striking. According to AFL.com.au, the Dockers reached a 12-1 record on a club-record 12-game winning streak, sitting clear at the top of the ladder — reportedly 14 points ahead of third-placed Hawthorn and three-and-a-half wins clear of second. Along the way they posted the biggest win in the club's history, a 124-point demolition of North Melbourne.
ESPN went as far as framing this as the best version of Fremantle yet, arguing the side has become hard to fault at either end. The analysis credited a forward line sharing the load — Jye Amiss, Josh Treacy and Patrick Voss reportedly booting 11 goals between them in one win — alongside a defence ranked first in the league across several key categories, including points conceded.
Longmuir's long build
Much of the credit has gone to coach Justin Longmuir, now in his seventh season at the helm. The story most pundits have told is one of patience finally paying off: a methodical, defence-first program that has gradually added attacking polish without losing its foundation. Midfielders Caleb Serong and Hayden Young are central to that identity, and per AFL.com.au both have missed games this season — suggesting there may be more improvement to come as the side gets healthier.
For a club whose history is studded with near-misses — runner-up in the 2013 Grand Final, minor premiers but a preliminary-final exit in 2015 — being installed as favourites is both flattering and freighted with expectation.
The history lesson — and the Geelong question, answered
That expectation comes with a warning attached. As AFL.com.au noted, Fremantle are the 31st side in VFL/AFL history to reach 12-1 or better. Of the previous 30, a remarkable 26 made the Grand Final — but only 13 went on to win the flag, and the two most recent 12-1 teams, the Dockers themselves in 2015 and Sydney in 2024, both fell short. A hot home-and-away run guarantees nothing in September.
For weeks, the one genuine puzzle on Fremantle's record was Geelong — the Cats had handed the Dockers their only loss of the season, reportedly with a comeback at GMHBA Stadium back in Round 1. Round 15 offered the rematch, at Optus Stadium, and Fremantle answered it: they beat Geelong 92-83, a nine-point win that extended the club-record streak rather than ending it.
It was a tight contest, not a procession, which is its own kind of message — the favourites can win the games that ask hard questions, not just the ones they're supposed to.
So, do the Dockers deserve the hype?
On the evidence of 2026, the talk feels earned rather than hollow. A team that has spent the year at the top of the ladder, with balance at both ends and a coach whose plan has visibly matured, has every right to be discussed among the contenders.
Whether that translates into the club's first premiership is the question that will hang over Optus Stadium for the rest of the season. For now, Perth's purple army get to enjoy something that hasn't always come easily: a Fremantle side good enough to be feared — and confident enough not to flinch from it.