SPORTING LIFE

FREMANTLE fans who thought the air tasted a little thinner yesterday morning were experiencing something even more unusual than the giddy high of a round-one victory. Kicking clear of Adelaide at Subiaco on Sunday night was enough to leave the Dockers second on the AFL ladder after round one €” the highest position they have occupied in their entire, 15-and-a-bit season history. Not only that, but if not for a late Kurt Tippett point that reduced the margin to 56 points, the Purple Haze's percentage would have stood at 193.4 (not 190.3), and been enough to vault them above Hawthorn (191.8) to the top of the ladder. As one ecstatic poster to bigfooty.com said yesterday, "Already have my 'FREO 2010 PREMIERS' tattoo across my neck." A little premature, perhaps, but heady times clearly call for insane measures. Fremantle has actually only been as high as third three times €” after thumping West Coast in the round 21 derby of 2006, and again after beating Melbourne the following week €” and after beating Port Adelaide by 35 points in round one, 2005. This week is the first time the Dockers have been in the eight since they made the 2006 preliminary final.