A blustery day in Canberra has done little to deter Greater Western Sydney, who managed to overcome the conditions to down Fremantle by 31 points.
Despite taking an early lead at the first change and winning the clearances for the game 28-40, the Dockers were unable to persevere through the wind and onset of rain, scoring only two goals after half-time opposed to the Giants' six.
Callan Ward led from the front with a captain's performance of 34 disposals, while Ryan Griffen notched up two crucial goals in what his first game since round three of 2017.
It didn't take long for Griffen to make his mark in the scrappy opening term, booting the first of the day - and his first since round 22 of 2016 - within the opening minute of play.
Surrounded by his elated teammates, it would only take a Brandon Matera major to deflate the early spirits of the Giants as the Dockers began to hit the scoreboard.
As Fremantle piled on two more goals through Aaron Sandilands and Stephen Hill, the Giants struggled to put the ball through the big sticks, managing just five behinds for the rest of the term.
Let down by their inadequate footwork, the Giants' execution stood marked against the Dockers, who had registered their third goal through just four entries inside 50.
GWS conversely, had mustered only the one major through 12 entries.
While their field kicking left little to be desired moving into the second quarter, the Giants' kicking in front of goal vastly improved.
With the wind in their favour, GWS made use of the conditions to propel themselves back in the lead with a four-goal term.
A dubious non-decision for Jeremy Cameron running out of bounds generated Griffen's second goal, once again slotted in the opening minute of play to bring the Giants back to within two points.
As Toby Greene and Cameron added their names to the scoreboard, the free kick fortune continued to favour the Giants, with a crafty - albeit illegal - push in the back from Tim Taranto resulting in some Freo friendly fire.
The subsequent collision between Lachie Neale and Nathan Wilson ultimately left a gaping hole in the Docker defence, allowing Taranto to extend the lead late.
Along with the goal to his name, Taranto was formidable in the midfield through his 11 tackles and 22 disposals and was one of the best on ground for the Giants.
Goals to David Mundy and a big bender from Nat Fyfe on the siren proved to be Fremantle's only goals for the term, despite GWS' sloppy ball use and Neale's dominance through the centre of the ground (five clearances).
Even so, the Giants' midfield of Ward, Stephen Coniglio, Jacob Hopper and Taranto were too strong for the Dockers, with the four attributing to 15 of their side's 28 clearances.
With the wind to their advantage in the third term, the Dockers remained goalless as the Giants' inflicted a considerable 3.5 to give themselves a healthy 26-point advantage at three-quarter time.
The wind once again proved troublesome, with the ball seemingly defying physics through its unpredictable ball movement.
Despite the swirling ball, Nick Haynes and Brett Deledio played arguably their best games for the Giants in defence, and were crucial in thwarting Docker majors particularly through their intercept plays.
A flurry of five behinds opened proceedings before Stephen Coniglio put through his first of the day before being followed up by former Docker, Matt de Boer.
Once again the Dockers found themselves on top of the clearances, yet failed to punish GWS on the scoreboard.
With an opportunity to cut the margin back to 16 points, Neale burned a vacant Hayden Ballantyne by having a running shot on goal on the 50m arc, before a smooth transition out of defence gifted Daniel Lloyd an important goal.
Fremantle finally managed to convert in the early stages of the final quarter, narrowing the margin to 13 points via Brandon Matera and Bailey Banfield - the latter of whom scored his first AFL goal in his fourth game.
But Greene once again posed as a threat, slotting a steadying goal from the boundary to seal the win midway through the term, before Cameron and Jacob Hopper put the icing on the cake.
The Dockers failed to add any more majors as the margin - much like the wind - blew out to 31 points, notching up the Dockers' second loss of the season.
Greater Western Sydney will find themselves at Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon against a demoralised St Kilda, while Fremantle will be back home at Optus Stadium to face off against the Western Bulldogs.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.5 5.9 8.14 11.16 (82) FREMANTLE 3.1 5.2 5.6 7.9 (51)
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron 2, Griffen 2, Greene 2, Hopper, Coniglio, Taranto, de Boer, Lloyd Fremantle: Matera 2, Sandilands, S. Hill, Fyfe, Banfield, Mundy
BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Ward, Haynes, Coniglio, Deledio, Greene, Taranto, Hopper Fremantle: S.Hill, Neale, Mundy, Banfield, Sandilands
INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Davis (cut chin), Cameron (jarred knee)
Fremantle: Ed Langdon (illness) replaced in the selected side by Darcy Tucker
TALKING POINTS
1. WIND CAUSES WAYWARD AND REMARKABLE KICKING
There were shanks which would have had to be seen to be believed, while some goals would have been otherwise impossible had it not been for some natural intervention.
Canberra's blustery winds caused the footy to do remarkable stunts in the air, making players look like genuine freaks or absolute shambles.
Jeremy Cameron, Toby Greene and Ryan Griffen all fell victims to the wind's tricks, with the latter's set shot on goal almost boomeranging back around to him.
Nat Fyfe meanwhile reasserted his claim he is in the form of his career, although with a little help from the strong breeze which pushed the ball through after a stunning snap from the boundary.
2. THAT WAS OUT OF BOUNDS, THAT WAS OUT OF BOUNDS! BOY OH BOY, WOWEE!
It's a shame Brian Taylor was unable to commentate the match between the Giants and Dockers, because he would have gone absolutely off his rocker had he witnessed a massive non-decision in the second term.
In the opening minute of the quarter, Jeremy Cameron found himself with the ball in the left pocket, teetering dangerously close to the boundary line.
Attempting to outrun his opponent, Cameron took off along the rope before launching a left-foot pass to Ryan Griffen who took a fantastic mark in the goal square.
A stunning passage of play, but there was one problem: Cameron was over the boundary line by at least half a metre.
Ultimately, Griffen slotted the goal to bring the margin back to just two points.
As the great Bristle would say, "that was out of bounds!".
3. GOOD TO SEE GRIFFO BACK
After a series of persistent ankle issues, Ryan Griffen finally made his way back into the Giants' line-up after being absent since round three last season.
Although Griffen didn't find his hands on the ball too often, two goals to his name certainly suffices for a successful comeback game.
Looking hardly out of touch, the Giant's influence will only continue to grow as he finds his feet and becomes reaccustomed to the rigours of Aussie Rules.
Almost one of the forgotten midfield mights of the Giants, with Griffen back in the side, the Giants could be poised for another promising year.
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