What a difference 468 days can make.
The result was the same as Collingwood walked off Domain Stadium in defeat, but the story couldn’t have been more different.
The Magpies were humiliated in round one, 2014.
The Dockers landed on their home turf, albeit Etihad Stadium, and controlled the game from quarter time to win by 70 points.
Fremantle went on to finish fourth and make a semi-final while Collingwood languished to finish eleventh, the side’s worst ladder position since 2005.
15 months later, the task was arguably more daunting this time around. Fremantle had lost just one game in 2015, with the trip to Perth the toughest the Magpies would face.
Only 12 players remained from the 2014 defeat. Heritier Lumumba and Dayne Beams are at other clubs, Nick Maxwell and Luke Ball are retired and are now regular faces on our TV scenes, while Martin Clarke is miles away from the spotlight at home in Ireland.
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Thursday’s narrow loss provides glaring proof that things change quickly in football.
Tom Langon was a wide-eyed 19-year-old wearing the number 41 when Collingwood met Fremantle last year.
The defender went from being a relatively unknown selection at pick 65 in the 2013 Draft to a first round starter against the Dockers.
Since his 24-disposal, 11-rebound 50 debut, Langdon has played 31 out of a possible 35 games and is now a pivotal member of the Collingwood defence.
Another man playing his first game for Collingwood against Fremantle in round one, 2014 was Taylor Adams.
In his first game in the black and white, Adams recorded 15 disposals and had four tackles in the 70-point defeat.
Symbolic of Collingwood’s drastic improvement is Adams' display against the Dockers on Thursday night.
He went within one possession of doubling his disposal count, with 29 touches including four clearances in the narrow loss.
While the likes of Swan and Pendlebury remain consistent leaders, fresh faces have emerged in 2015 who have fast-tracked Collingwood’s development.
Last time the Magpies played Fremantle, Adam Oxleywas deeply troubled by an ankle injury that had left him stranded on two AFL games.
Tim Broomhead was yet to debut and Marley Williams was doing anything he could to put an assault conviction behind him.
Travis Varcoe was wearing a Geelong guerney, Jack Crisp was a Lion and Jordan De Goey was pursuing his dreams on local grounds for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup.
All six players are now regulars in the Collingwood team and provide a key to the Magpies finals aspirations.
Varcoe has a premiership medallion in addition to 150 games experience, while the remainder are determined to build a bright future.
It’s now been three years since Collingwood last beat Fremantle. In the next three weeks the Magpies will play top eight contenders Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and West Coast.
Yet the mood is upbeat. Nathan Buckley’s coaching credentials are being praised. The turnaround has been deemed successful so far.
A lot can change in 468 days.
