The Western Bulldogs kicked off their AFL season in fine style with a comprehensive 63-point victory over a wayward Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday night.

Fremantle trailed by just 16 points deep into the third term but the Bulldogs kicked 10 of the final 12 goals of the match to runaway 25.7 (157) to 13.16 (94).

The Bulldogs' superior accuracy and run-and-carry blitz proved the difference, the Dockers left to rue a succession of missed shots on goal and clumsy turnovers.

Bulldogs midfielder Ryan Griffen booted three goals in an inspired opening term to kick-start the visitors before Matthew Boyd (34 possessions, one goal), Lindsay Gilbee (32 possessions, three goals), Daniel Cross (29 touches, one goal) and Daniel Giansiracusa (28 touches, two goals) joined the party.

Mitch Hahn booted three goals in the final quarter to finish with five for the match, while Nathan Eagleton (three goals) and Shaun Higgins (two) also chipped in, with Brian Lake and Dale Morris leading the defence with aplomb.

Dockers tagger Steven Dodd did a good job on Jason Akermanis but the Bulldogs dangerman still managed to break the shackles at crucial times to rack up 18 touches and two goals.

Brett Peake (three goals), Michael Johnson (two goals), Paul Duffield, Brett Peake and midfielder Rhys Palmer (26 touches) battled valiantly for the Dockers while former Pie Chris Tarrant kept Brad Johnson goalless in an intriguing battle.

Each side suffered a blow before bouncedown, with Bulldogs forward Robert Murphy (knee) and Dockers defender Roger Hayden late withdrawals.

Fremantle booted the opening two goals of the match but from there it was the Griffen show as the South Australian helped the Bulldogs to a nine-point lead by quarter time.

A succession of Fremantle errors handed the visitors easy goals in the second quarter, with Gilbee and Higgins booting two goals apiece for the term as the Bulldogs took a commanding 35-point lead into the long break.

Hahn's goal at the two minute mark of the third quarter extended the margin to 41 points but the Dockers, aided by a strong breeze and inspired by Luke McPharlin's forward presence, booted four of the next five goals to close the gap to 16 points.

Goals to Lindsay Gilbee and Giansiracusa against the run of play late in the term settled the Bulldogs but Dockers debutant Nicholas Suban booted a classy goal in the dying minutes of the stanza to close the gap back to 22 points at the final change.

Fremantle needed everything to go right for them in the last quarter to snatch the win but their inaccuracy again proved a stumbling block, with Paul Hasleby and Josh Head both missing shots on goal before the Bulldogs went on an eight-goal rampage.

"Our mission this week was just to come over and get the four points," Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said.

"We knew it was going to be hard with the travel and Fremantle's form in the pre-season was very encouraging.

"We knew we were in for a big game.

"To win by as much as we did was a bonus but I think it's a credit to the players to be able to persevere in their physicality and it was pleasing at the end when we had a lot of run."

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey described his team's performance as "frustrating".

"You can see where we are going wrong when you have more inside 50s and have as many shots on goal just about," Harvey said.

"Our inability to be able to hurt the opposition when we had the ball and their ability to be able to hurt us every time we made a mistake or a turnover was significant.

"I think they got something like 18 goals from our turnovers. It's been a disappointing night, particularly from that point of view."

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