When Wayne Jackson stepped down as chief executive of the AFL he expressed the fervent wish that Fremantle finally come good after years of fumbling around.

Making the final four of the NAB Cup doesn't quite constitute 'coming good' but on the evidence presented at Etihad Stadium on Sunday in the win over North Melbourne, things might not be as parlous for Fremantle as some have suggested. The noose around Mark Harvey's neck might have been loosened just a tad.

The kids the Dockers have stockpiled through the draft might be starting to click. Midfielder Stephen Hill was terrific, while Chris Mayne was outstanding with five goals. And Anthony Morabito, taken with the fourth pick overall at last year's draft, looks a readymade senior player.

The win was achieved without Matthew Pavlich, Adam McPhee and Rhys Palmer, the 2008 Rising Star winner who might be the best young Docker of the lot. It was also interesting to note on Sunday that Chris Tarrant played the experienced veteran defender to a tee and Ryan Murphy, surely on his last chance with the Dockers, also bobbed up as an important key forward.

Yes, the Dockers have made us eat our words over and over again. Smart tipsters simply don't tip them at all and are therefore spared the inevitable heartbreak when the Dockers lose the unloseable game. And we don't expect them to win this week, having to travel to back Melbourne to play St Kilda on a six-day break. Sadly for the Dockers, AC/DC take precedence at Subiaco this weekend, preventing the AFL from giving the Dockers the leg-up they might have needed to make the NAB Cup Grand Final.

You'd have to think the Saints would win this one on their merits, rather than rely on brain fades from their opponents. Against Collingwood, a defensive lapse allowed Adam Schneider to mark on his own 30 metres from goalto kick the match-winner, while on Saturday night, Sydney's Mark Seaby played on from a 50-metre penalty, so the resultant goal was worth six, rather than nine points.

Port Adelaide have also looked impressive in their two hit-outs to date but the Western Bulldogs were particularly sharp against Hawthorn on Friday night. Barry Hall booted six goals, but even if he averages half that figure during the season, he will add the dimension the Bulldogs have been so obviously missing the last few seasons.

Fast, strong, tough, hungry and now with a key forward. You would have to think all the elements are in place for the Bulldogs to make a run.