Fremantle celebrated its first finals victory in its 12-season AFL history on Friday with a convincing but agonising win over Melbourne.

In front of a sellout crowd of 42,505 at Subiaco, the Dockers won their semi final 14.18 (102) to 11.8 (74) to set up a preliminary final with Sydney at Telstra Stadium next Friday night.

But, despite the Dockers dominating the match in general play throughout, Melbourne was still within 10 points six minutes into the final term.

Fremantle kept the Demons in touch through its inefficiency at converting a glut of good attacking moves, with the discrepancy in the number of scoring shots telling the tale of the Dockers' dominance, which was more than the 28-point margin suggested.

Conversely, Melbourne had its forwards to thank for staying so close with Brad Miller playing superbly at centre half-forward, while captain David Neitz and Russell Robertson, who each kicked three goals straight, made the most of limited chances.

But the best players on the ground were clearly Fremantle's running players and ground level ball-winners.

Halfback Heath Black was a standout with his tireless searching runs up the field, with his long left-foot kicks into attack setting up numerous scoring opportunities.

Black's long pass to Matthew Carr six minutes into the final quarter set up the goal which finally broke Melbourne's back, after the Dockers had threatened to nail the game shut for most of the second half.

Carr, along with brother Josh, was also extremely good. The Carr brothers constantly won the ball and cut up Melbourne with their running, while captain Peter Bell and wingman Byron Schammer were influential.

Giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands outplayed Jeff White in the ruck which proved vital.

After a three-goal surge by Melbourne early in the second quarter put the visitors in front by 16 points, Fremantle stormed back with four of the last five goals of the term to lead by six points at the main break and was not headed in the second half.

The pattern of the match was already established by that time, with the Dockers having six more scoring shots by halftime, but they kept missing.

That failing was exacerbated in the third term with the ball locked in Fremantle's forward half for all but a few minutes.

The Dockers entered their forward 50 metre zone 19 times compared to Melbourne's seven, but only outscored the Demons by 11 points, 4.6 to 3.1.

It meant that while they looked to be in charge, leading by 17 points at the last change, it was not until Carr's last-quarter goal, followed quickly by a major from star forward Matthew Pavlich, from a soft free kick, that the victory was finally sealed.

Fremantle's win followed its 30-point defeat by Adelaide at AAMI Stadium in last Saturday's qualifying final.

That had left the Dockers under intense pressure coming into this game, with the club having to prove it could repeat the form that had given it a nine-match winning streak to end the home and away season under finals pressure.

Its only previous final had been a 44-point capitulation to Essendon at Subiaco in an elimination final in 2003.

But, with that monkey off its back, the Dockers will head to Telstra Stadium for the first time with confidence against the Swans.

Melbourne's loss left the Western Bulldogs as the only Victorian club among the five remaining in the finals.

If the Bulldogs fall to West Coast in the second leg of this weekend's Subiaco double on Saturday night, it will be the first time both preliminary finals have featured only non-Victorian clubs.

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