Essendon has taken another massive step in their mission to jump into the top-eight, with a 29-point victory over Fremantle at Etihad Stadium placing them on par with Geelong, Hawthorn and North Melbourne on the ladder.
Despite the incredible inaccurate 13.21 (99) scoreline from 63 entries, the Bombers picked up their game in the second half to douse their resolute opposition nine goals to four.
Orazio Fantasia (five goals) and David Zaharakis (26 disposals) were exemplary in their returns from injury, yet Essendon look set to be without Shaun McKernan for a significant amount of time after the unlikely forward hero injured his hamstring in the second quarter.
Fremantle performed well in opening half, barely wasting an opportunity forward in what was a fast-paced and dynamic game.
But while the senior Dockers in Lachie Neale (30 disposals), Michael Walters (three goals) and Michael Johnson (two goals) all pieced together solid games, the visitors eventually ran out of puff in the final stanza.
Althought Essendon had the upper hand in general play around the ground in the opening term, Fremantle's four straight goals from eight entries saw the visitors lead at the first change.
Michael Johnson - in what was his first game since Round 10 - put the Dockers on the board within the opening minute of play, kickstarting what would be a four-goal to two term.
While the Bombers had the yips in front of goal with four consecutive behinds, the returning Orazio Fantasia and Mark Baguley rectified their inaccuracy with the home side's first majors of the game.
Although errant with some of their short passes, Essendon nonetheless found themselves with plenty of room to launch the ball forward, dominating the inside 50 count 18-8 at quarter-time.
But while the Bombers continued to place the Docker defence under pressure thanks to their repeated entries, Fremantle managed to find their feet in the latter half of the term and slot the next three goals through Lachie Neale, Johnson and Michael Walters.
Armed with great pressure around the contest and unrelenting tackling pressure, the Dockers looked when dangerous moving forward and led by seven points at quarter-time, despite the heavily skewed inside 50 count.
The lively play from the Dockers carried well into the second term, with a 3.1 effort seeing them hang on to their slender lead at half-time.
While the margin was less than two straight kicks at the major change, the most damning statistic for the Bombers was their inability to capitalise when going forward, with their 33 entries for the half resulting in just four goals.
Fremantle meanwhile were far more efficient in their forays forward; their 17 inside 50s seeing them boot seven first half goals.
Alex Pearce and Joel Hamling were sublime down back, yet the Dockers' inability to clear the ball out of defence in the initial stages of the term looked to be an issue; an issue compounded by the Bombers' continual entries.
Fremantle's back six had one less Bomber to worry about however, after Shaun McKernan was taken from the field with a suspected hamstring tear after leaping for a mark.
Although Mitch Brown stood up in McKernan's absence and made his side's ugly 2.8 scoreline marginally better with a skilful long range goal, Adam Cerra carried on Fremantle's remarkable conversion rate per entry forward, drilling home the Docker's fifth major to regain the lead.
Essendon continued to dominate the hit-outs, yet Fremantle's ability to restrict the Bombers' bursting free from the stoppages - of which Bailey Banfield was a contributor to - was impressive.
Some Fantasia magic among congestion revived the restless Essendon faithful, yet Walters' dynamism across the half-forward line dampened their spirits soon after - his craftiness resulting in a simple major to Cameron Sutcliffe.
Walters' potency close to home further alarmed the Bombers, with his last-gasp goal in the final minute of the term putting the visitors up by eight points at half-time.
As the game opened up in the third term, Essendon found themselves with all the ascendancy despite the seesawing affair, kicking five goals to Fremantle's three.
The inclusions of David Zaharakis and Fantasia - both of which had plenty of the ball in the quarter - proved to be invaluable for the Bombers, with the duo putting crucial majors to regain the lead for the first time since the opening quarter.
Although David Mundy interrupted the Bombers' run with a terrific goal off the back of a Scott Jones tackle on Brendon Goddard, Essendon resumed their spirited patch just moments later, with Brown and Fantasia each converting.
As Fantasia slammed home his fourth, the home side made it four majors from five entries - a statistic which completely contradicted their efficiency of the opening half.
But from there on the Bombers only managed the one major through Devon Smith, with their wayward kicking making a comeback in the second half of the quarter.
Despite the Bombers' prolific running throughout the term and their constant swarm around the ball, Essendon failed to fully punish their opposition as they added another five behinds to their tally.
As Brandon Matera and Walters stemmed the bleeding, the margin rested at just six points, with one season-defining quarter of football yet to play.
But the Dockers succumbed to the Bombers' press in the final term, with the home side's three majors enough to see them to their ninth win of the season.
The unrelenting press from the home side put the Dockers under the pump, with the visitors struggling once again to move the ball out of their defence and forward of centre.
Brown put through his third from long range to take the margin to a game-high 15 points, as Essendon continued to rack up inside 50s as easy as they did possessions.
With the final quarter figure sitting at 12-0, Fremantle finally registered their first entry at the 10-minute mark of the term through Adam Cerra, who skilfully passed off to Cam McCarthy to keep the Dockers alive.
As a tense couple of minutes ensued - in which both sides were unable to seize the opportunities presented to them - a miracle major from David Myers 40m out on the boundary snapped the tension, with his effort placing the Bombers 16 points in front.
One final major and hangar from Smith sandwiched Fantasia's fifth goal, and as the Dockers ran out of steam, Essendon ran out 29-point victors to keep themselves in the hunt for season 2018.
Essendon will take to Etihad Stadium next Friday against a Sydney outfit in desperate need of confidence and senior personnel, while Fremantle will have eight days to prepare for their calsh with Hawthorn at Optus Stadium.
ESSENDON 2.5 4.11 9.16 13.21 (99)
FREMANTLE 4.0 7.1 10.4 11.4 (70)
GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia 5, Brown 3, Smith 2, Myers, Baguley, Zaharakis
Fremantle: Walters 3, Johnson 2, Matera, McCarthym Neale, Sutcliffe, Mundy, Cerra
BEST
Essendon: Fantasia, Zaharakis, Bellchambers, Heppell, Merrett, Hurley, Smith
Fremantle: Neale, Walters, Mundy, Hamling, Johnson, Wilson, Banfield
INJURIES
Essendon: McKernan (hamstring)
Fremantle: Darcy (groin) replaced in the selected side by Johnson
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