Fremantle’s thrilling one-point win over Collingwood is proof the Dockers need to scrap their “safe crap” style and implement a more “daring” brand if they want to contend in 2025, Fox Footy’s David King believes.

The Dockers stormed home to kick the final four goals at the MCG and then hung on despite the “Collingwood cauldron” pressure.

Even rival coach Craig McRae liked what he saw from Fremantle in that final term.

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“When they needed to get the job done, they really came hard,” he praised.

“They play a good brand of footy when they are up and going fast isn’t it? Maybe they should play a bit more of that at times – it’s a good version of them.”

That statement King said, is Fremantle’s issue “in a nutshell”.

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“They’ve got talent!” he said on First Crack.

“I’ll tell you what we won’t hear this week – you won’t hear ‘oh we’re young, and we can’t do this and do that’.

“They can play any mode you want to go into and it probably in a weird way suited them that they were 16 points down.

“They had to go.”

Laughing as he referenced Justin Longmuir’s cheeky take that he’d be “in the Bahamas guts up” instead of coaching, King said he liked what he saw from Fremantle.

“Guts up at the ‘G! Guts up!” he said.

“Our man Justin Longmuir got the job done.

“When they played daring footy through the corridor – not that safe crap we’ve had to put up with for two years – they can score. They can play some high level footy.

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“I love when they play with bravery like that – and it’s not just me that loves it.

“I hate that other brand of footy.”

First Crack host Ben Dixon said the Dockers “took the moment” from Collingwood with their thrilling win.

“It was dare to be great… and Fremantle were daring enough to get it done.”

Statistics show that the Pies brought season high pressure ratings in the first half, and finished with an AFL high 35 tackles inside 50.

“It was impossible to handle for the first three quarters,” King of the Pies’ pressure.

“It was like a noose tightening around them … it was just relentless.”

But the Dockers found a way in the final term with a win that could spark their run to finals.

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“It’s a sign of maturity. It’s a sign of resilience and character within this group,” First Crack panellist Leigh Montagna said.

“They’ve had to roll the sleeves up.

“To withstand what they did today… when they were backs against the walls, a lot of D50 true character. I think it’s something they can launch off now (after) finding a way to win that game.”