Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has hailed Jamarra Ugle-Hagan after the former No.1 pick delivered a star turn to inspire a 29-point win over Fremantle.
Ugle-Hagan, 21, took several impressive flying marks among nine in total and kicked 4.2 along with teeing up several teammates.
He proved the difference as the Bulldogs prevailed 16.6 (102) to 11.7 (73) at Marvel Stadium on Saturday to remain firmly in touch with the top four.
"Every week Marra's getting harder and harder to play against against, and he's working extremely hard and there's good variety in his game," Beveridge told reporters.
"His highest-point aerial game - it's on point. It's a difficult thing to contend with.
"But he's working hard early to give himself some space and look like he wants the ball and over the last period of time we've been able to get it to him.
"He had a really influential afternoon."
Beveridge stressed Ugle-Hagan, who has kicked 20 goals for the season, was still working on his decision-making and field-kicking.
"The best key forwards in the game always had enormous courage and a will and also a pride," Beveridge said.
"Obviously he's playing against some of the best defenders in the competition.
"So in his third year, it's pretty encouraging to see the way he's playing and hopefully it's onwards and upwards for him."
The Bulldogs (9-6, 36 points) sit fifth on percentage while it was a missed opportunity for Justin Longmuir's Dockers (7-8, 28 points), who remain outside the top eight.
Former skipper Nat Fyfe struggled, with Longmuir revealing post-match he'd struggled with a flare-up of a foot injury, and was substituted early in the fourth quarter.
Marcus Bontempelli (27 disposals, nine clearances, 512 metres gained) and Tom Liberatore (21 disposals, 10 clearances) impressed amid Tim English's entertaining ruck duel with Sean Darcy (50 hitouts, 18 disposals).
Michael Walters and Jye Amiss kicked four goals apiece to keep Fremantle in the game along withCaleb Serong (38 touches, 10 clearances).
Winger Liam Henry (33 disposals) was busy but made some crucial errors.
The Bulldogs burst out of the blocks with English, Ugle-Hagan and Mitch Hannan delivering a early three-goal lead.
Walters stopped the rot with a wonderful instinctive snap, then added another to get the Dockers rolling.
The game turned into an arm wrestle and while Ugle-Hagan took a huge flying pack mark and snagged his fourth goal to put the margin out to 17 in the third quarter, Fremantle fought back.
Darcy marked and put the Dockers in front at the start of the fourth but their joy was short-lived.
Rory Lobb restored the Bulldogs' lead and it proved the first of five consecutive goals that broke the game open.
Longmuir lamented Fremantle's failure to capitalise on their third-quarter dominance and how they fell away late.
"Our backs, particularly early, were holding up really well and we couldn't hold up in that moment," he said.
"Three goals pretty quickly turned into five and the game was blown open."
