Fremantle have overcome a herculean performance from Carlton skipper Patrick Cripps to post a 35-point win at Perth Stadium.

Carlton suffered a huge blow in the opening minutes of Saturday night's match when big man Marc Pittonet suffered a game-ending knee injury.

The Dockers controlled most aspects of the contest, and opened up a 38-point lead during the third quarter.

But Cripps simply refused to give up, with his three-goal second half dragging his team back into the match.

Carlton twice closed to within 21 points in the final quarter, but the Dockers ended the match with a bang to seal the 14.13 (97) to 9.8 (62) victory.

The result improved Fremantle's record to 5-1, while Carlton slipped to 4-2.

Pittonet suffered a suspected PCL injury to his left knee after clashing knees with Fremantle big man Sean Darcy in a ruck contest.

Darcy was subbed out of the game with concussion after copping an accidental boot to the head from Charlie Curnow in the third quarter.

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Cripps, in his return from a hamstring injury, finished the match with 32 disposals, eight clearances and 3.1, while former Docker Adam Cerra was booed by the sellout crowd for every one of his 32 disposals and seven clearances.

Fremantle forwards Rory Lobb and Lachie Schultz booted three goals apiece, while midfielder Andrew Brayshaw was influential with 27 disposals, eight tackles, and seven clearances.

Dockers backmen Luke Ryan, Griffin Logue, Alex Pearce, and Brennan Cox were rock solid against Carlton's potent forward line.

The Blues overcame Pittonet's early exit and a knee injury scare to Harry McKay to take a four-point lead into quarter time.

But the weight of numbers eventually paid dividends for the Dockers in the second term, with Michael Walters proving crucial in the six-goal blitz.

Walters booted his first after catching Cerra holding the ball.

And he had the crowd off their seats when he dribbled through his second a short time later to give Fremantle a 19-point lead at the long break.

The inside-50m stat read 32-15 in favour of Fremantle at half-time, but Carlton's efficiency up forward kept them in the match.

Fremantle threatened to blow the game apart in the third quarter but Cripps kept Carlton within striking distance with two goals.

And when he nailed a long-range bomb in the final term, the Blues were a chance of snatching victory.

But two goals to Sam Switkowski snuffed out the challenge and ensured Fremantle stayed in second spot on the ladder.

Port get off the mark with big win over horrific Eagles

Port Adelaide champion Robbie Gray has suffered another knee injury in a breakthrough 84-point belting of West Coast.

Gray limped off as the Power banked a first win of the season, 18.9 (117) to 4.9 (33) on Saturday.

Port's triple club champion was playing just his third game this season after previous knee and COVID-19 issues.

Gray's injury, initially diagnosed as a jarred knee, came as the Power overwhelmed the lacklustre Eagles with seven goals to none in a second-term spree.

The Power entered Adelaide Oval on the club's worst-ever start to a season — five straight losses.

But they jump from bottom to 14th on the ladder after Todd Marshall (five goals) starred in the second-quarter assault.

The Eagles, in the mire in 17th spot with one solitary win, held sway in a dour opening quarter — 1.2 apiece.

Then, the Power surged as recruit Jeremy Finlayson (five goals) and Karl Amon book-ended a seven-goal burst in just 25 minutes.

Marshall booted three goals in a dozen minutes to delight Port's 28,587-strong home crowd.

The Power were triggered by the dynamic Connor Rozee, who had 20 disposals to half-time and 31 for the match.

Port's Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines was also instrumental in the blitz — on return after a heart scare in an April 7 game, the midfielder's 16 first-half disposals included six inside 50s.

Port's 21 to seven inside 50s for the second quarter included Kane Farrell's goal from near a boundary line in his comeback match from a knee reconstruction.

Farrell's strike came as the Power created a commanding 53-10 half-time lead.

Ex-GWS utility Finlayson then took the spotlight in the third quarter, kicking three goals as Port motored to an 11.8 to 1.8 advantage at the last change.

Port's Rozee and Wines, who finished with 33 touches, 10 inside 50s and a goal, were midfield forces alongside Dan Houston (33 possessions) and Travis Boak (34 disposals).

And winger Amon made the most of his reprieve, gathering 25 disposals and a goal as a replacement for late withdrawal Miles Bergman (illness).

West Coast's Alex Witherdon (34) and Tim Kelly (30) led their team for disposals in another bleak outing for coach Adam Simpson's side.

The Eagles opened the scoring with a Jamie Cripps goal in the first minute but didn't manage another until Josh Kennedy's snap in the third minute of the final term.

Crows stun Dogs with gritty win in Ballarat

Adelaide have stunned the Western Bulldogs, beating the 2021 AFL grand finalists by a point in Ballarat to kick their AFL resurgence up another level.

Taylor Walker's late goal ultimately proved the difference after the Crows fought through multiple Bulldogs surges and their own inaccuracy to prevail 8.15 (63) to 9.8 (62).

In claiming back-to-back wins for the first time since rounds three and four last season, Adelaide evened their win-loss ledger at 3-3 while condemning the Dogs to 2-4, their worst start since 2019.

Billy Frampton (26 disposals, nine marks) marshalled the Crows' defence with aplomb while Tom Doedee put the clamps on Marcus Bontempelli.

Ben Keays (33 disposals, eight clearances) and Rory Laird (30 disposals, eight clearances, 11 tackles) were typically busy while ruckman Reilly O'Brien had the better of Bulldogs 200-gamer Stefan Martin.

Midfielders Josh Dunkley (28 disposals), Tom Liberatore (33 disposals, 10 clearances) Bailey Smith and Jack Macrae led the charge for the Dogs.

Adelaide's frantic pressure put the Bulldogs on the back foot early and they booted the first two goals of the game.

But Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Adam Treloar and Aaron Naughton struck to give the home side a seven-point lead at quarter time.

Laird could come under scrutiny after coming in late and high on Dunkley after the Bulldog took an intercept mark late in the opening term.

The second quarter proved a dour affair, with Walker outbodying Tim O'Brien for the only goal, with scores level at the main break.

Adelaide dominated the third quarter and led by 10 late in the term courtesy of goals to McAdam and Lachlan Gollant, but really should have got ahead by several goals.

A remarkable Josh Schache snap cut the Crows' lead to three points and gave the Bulldogs a sniff at the final change.

Walker slotted the first goal of the final term, and the 500th of his career, to put Adelaide in the box seat.

From there, Treloar and McHenry traded goals, before Schache soccered through one effort, then Dunkley snapped another, to put the Dogs in front.

But the Crows weren't done yet.

Josh Rachele levelled scores with a behind, then Ned McHenry put them in front with another.

But when Caleb Daniel made an uncharacteristic error from the kick-out, Lachlan Gollant picked out Walker to give the Crows a seven-point lead.

Bontempelli goaled with seven seconds left but it proved too little, too late.

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