Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has heaped praise on key forward Josh Treacy after he took the crucial mark which denied North Melbourne the chance to tie the game in the dying stages of Saturday night’s win at Optus Stadium.

The Kangaroos were charging home and were ideally placed to score when Harry Sheezel kicked the ball inside 50 with 40 seconds remaining and his team trailing by six points. Treacy was opposed to Jack Darling, while Nick Larkey, Cam Zurhaar and Robert Hansen were all nearby waiting for the ball to hit the ground.

Treacy hauled in the mark to ease the pressure on the Dockers and allow them to win 10.13 (73) to 10.7 (67).

“It was unbelievable,” Longmuir said.

“They equalised so we had to man up back there when we wanted him as an extra. He marked it well all day. I thought he was really strong in the contest all day. On the last line of defence, to have the sticky fingers like that was handy.”

Treacy’s mark was an example of Fremantle’s improved ability to stand up under pressure and Longmuir said that was a key reason why his team is now winning close games.

Just moments early, Pat Voss also took a one-handed contested mark at half-back. Multiple Dockers also laid crucial tackles, or committed to smothering attempts and spoils.

The win followed Fremantle also handling the pressure against Gold Coast before the bye when Andrew Brayshaw, Shai Bolton and Jye Amiss stood tall when their big moment arrived.

After losing a series of close matches last season, Longmuir said the team now understood the difference between stepping up when big moments are needed and trying to do too much or take risks in a bid to win the game.

“I don’t know if it’s wanting the moments. It’s just not avoiding the moments. I don’t think we’ve got people searching for those moments,” he explained.

“When you’ve got players who want to search for those moments, sometimes it can take you out of your role. To be honest, that was a bit of the case last year.

“Usually in those tight moments it’s either guys avoiding those moments or it’s guys going outside their role searching for those moments and wanting to be that player. I think we are letting the game come to us, we are trusting our teammates, trusting each other’s roles and trusting ourselves in those moments to execute the moments that come.”