Jonathon Patton led the way, bagging a career-high six goals in the 92-point drubbing, eclipsing by a point the club's previous record set in round eight over the Gold Coast this year.

The margin was just 20 points at the main break and the first seven minutes of the third term passed by scoreless until Patton broke the shackles and GWS took control.

Up until then the Dockers had been in the contest, but an 11-goal-to-nil blitz in the second half extinguished any hope of an unlikely upset.

"There's no doubt I think they could win it, I think that's indisputable," Lyon said. "For five years it's been built hasn't it, it's been built strong.

"With the uncontracted players that they put together, they're coming into their prime really. [Phil] Davis and [Callan] Ward, there's a lot made about Scully but his ROI, his return on investment, is significant.

"And then [Shane] Mumford and [Heath] Shaw and [Steve] Johnson are great players in their own right. I think their centre line was pick one, pick two, pick three. There's plenty of clubs that have tried to do that, obviously it's a bit unique the circumstances."

Patton himself was a No. 1 draft pick, although injury has slowed his development. Saturday's game was just his 52nd at AFL level despite being drafted at the end of 2011.

It was clearly his best, with Patton outscoring Fremantle off his own boot, and Giants coach Leon Cameron has challenged his 23-year-old pending superstar to replicate the form next weekend against North Melbourne.

"Anyone that kicks half a dozen goals has had a pretty good day out.," Cameron said.

"We've also got to put it in context as well. We're rapt he's kicked six goals but Jon would be the first to admit he's also got to be able to back it up next week. He's playing against a young key defender for the Dockers who's probably played three or four games.

"The pleasing thing is he's come out of a pretty traumatic time over the last three years with those injuries but he also realises that it is what it is and you either get on with it and progress or you stay the same.

"There's no doubt he's progressing. Each week he's improving marginally. He took a good step forward today. It's just pleasing that that work he's been doing to date has come to fruition today on the scoreboard."

It was a funny old game in the western Sydney twilight.

Last year's leading goalkicker in the WAFL, Shane Yarran, took the early plaudits by booting three goals in an opening quarter that was close to Fremantle's best in several months.

GWS still led by a goal at the first break and then a shade over three goals at the half, but it had by no means been easy and the Giants missed several more chances that would've given Cameron a much more comfortable first half.

The start of the third quarter was ugly as Fremantle looked to have turned the contest into a Lyon-esque arm wrestle, but the Giants worked hard to break the shackles, then let their superior fitness and class turn a tight struggle into a one-sided demolition job.

Patton was well supported by Jeremy Cameron and Johnson, who kicked three goals each, while Toby Greene chipped in with a couple of his own.

In the back half, Adam Tomlinson impressed again in a key defensive post while Nick Haynes took a game-high 13 marks in one of his best showings of the year.

The wash-up of it all is this – GWS jump back into the four with a handy percentage boost, although they'll drop back to fifth by Sunday night should Geelong beat Brisbane.

A home elimination final now beckons against the eight-placed club, probably North Melbourne, who the Giants also play next week. However, a slip-up next week by Hawthorn or the Cats could catapult GWS back into the top four.