Fremantle charges to its first Grand Final appearance snuffing out Sydney's premiership defence

FREMANTLE has stormed into its first AFL Grand Final after ruthlessly snuffing out Sydney's premiership defence last night.

FREMANTLE has stormed into its first AFL Grand Final and will meet Hawthorn in Saturday's premiership play-off after ruthlessly snuffing out Sydney's premiership defence last night.

In the greatest moment to date in the club's 19-season history, the dominant Dockers produced a relentless display of pressure, hard-running and discipline to beat the Swans by 25 points.

While the Hawks were made to work until the dying moments against Geelong on Friday night, the Dockers had no such worries in their preliminary final pairing with the Swans at Pattersons Stadium.

Sydney was swamped almost from start to finished, with the final margin only reduced cut back in the final term when Fremantle put the queue in the rack to preserve themselves for next week.

Fremantle defenders Michael Johnson (calf) and Luke McPharlin (adductor) provided a few concerns at stage of last night’s game, appearing sore at times.

But the Dockers opted to keep both players out on the field until the end, preferring to sub out Matt De Boer instead in his 100th game.

It might be the first time Fremantle has made it through to the last weekend, but it will be coach Ross Lyon's fourth Grand Final - 2009, 2010 draw and 2010 replay - as he chases his first flag as senior coach.

The Dockers' transformation as a club and a team more than justifies the club's decision to poach Lyon out of the hands of an unsuspecting St Kilda at the end of the 2011 season.

And while Fremantle has not beaten Hawthorn in Melbourne since 2001, and lost to them by 44 points earlier this season, the Hawks know next week’s game is going to be a cracker.

Saturday's Grand Final sets up some interesting sub-plots.

Brothers Stephen (Fremantle) and Brad Hill (Hawthorn) will be on opposing sides, Zac Dawson will be preparing for his fourth Grand Final against a team where he started his AFL career, and McPharlin will play in his first Grand Final against his old side.

And the club's 31-year-old skipper Matthew Pavlich will be chasing that elusive premiership in his 291st AFL match spread out over 14 seasons.

It was a sad end to the career of Sydney warrior Jude Bolton, who bowed out after 325 games and two premierships to his credit. But the Dockers provided a good touch by forming a guard of honour as he left the field for the last time.