The reigning NAB AFLW champions won't give up their crown without a fight.

After an 0-2 start to the season, Adelaide's audacious premiership defence is still alive courtesy of a gutsy four-point win against Fremantle at TIO Stadium on Friday night.

In sweltering Top End conditions that forced the heat policy to be invoked, the Crows handled everything the Freo Dockers threw at them to prevail 6.4 (40) to 5.6 (36) in Darwin in front of a crowd of 2159. 

Dana Hooker – who had a game-high 20 disposals – was brilliant for the Dockers (2-4), who were desperately unlucky to lose their third straight game.

"I couldn't fault their effort, they really came to play and put up a really good contest," Fremantle Dockers coach Michelle Cowan said.

"We, as a coaching group and a footy club, are proud of that effort.

"That's the expectation week in, week out, that we bring that effort and drive and intensity and pressure and passion to play."

With the temperature at 32 degrees and 71 per cent humidity, players retreated to the air-conditioned change-rooms during the eight-minute quarter-time and three-quarter time breaks, while the half-time break was extended to 20 minutes.

The atmospheric heat was matched by the intensity on the ground as both sides threw everything at each other.

The lead swapped hands several times during the game, with Hooker's second goal with less than five minutes on the clock in the final term ensuring a tense finish.

It was the Crows' first win in Darwin in four attempts after two pre-season losses to the Fremantle Dockers, and falling to Melbourne in the corresponding fixture last year. 

AFLW Round Six – Adelaide v Fremantle at TIO Stadium

ADELAIDE                  3.0      4.0       5.1    6.4 (40)

FREMANTLE             1.2      2.4      4.6     5.6 (36)

GOALS


Adelaide: Phillips 3, Rajcic, Perkins, Sedunary

Fremantle: Hooker 2, Filocamo, Atkins, Antonio

 

BEST 

Adelaide: Allan, Foley, Phillips, Cramey, Metcalfe, Rajcic

Fremantle: Hooker, Donnellan, Miller, Antonio, Gooch, Cain

 

INJURIES 


Adelaide: Nil

Fremantle: Nil

 

Reports: Nil

 

Umpires: Dore, Galbraith, Broadbent

 

Official crowd: 2159 at TIO Stadium