Coach Justin Longmuir has conceded that Fremantle have more concerns than sluggish starts after GWS opened up an early lead then were barely challenged on the way to a 70-point victory at Giants Stadium.
The hosts piled on four majors while keeping the Dockers goalless in the opening term, to set the tone for a result that leaves the visitors' finals hopes looking grim with a 6-7 record after consecutive losses.
The Dockers have led at the first change only once this season - against Hawthorn in round eight - as their opening term struggles continued on Saturday.
"We need to keep digging into it, clearly," Longmuir said of the slow starts.
"Every first quarter is different. We could have hit the scoreboard as well. But we come through the middle of the ground with free numbers, and we miss an easy handball, and you just can't defend behind those turnovers.
"It was not really about the first quarter today. It was about the whole game."
The Dockers were soundly beaten around the stoppages in the absence of first-choice ruck Sean Darcy, as the Giants led 39-29 at clearances which included a 16-6 advantage at centre bounces.
GWS's dominance continued and they led 9-2 for centre clearances at the main break, and finished on top 16-6, as the likes of Tom Green, Stephen Coniglio and Josh Kelly had the better of Fremantle's onballers.
"It wasn't just the first quarter. We've been able to grind our way back into games, but contest wasn't good enough all over the ground, the way we defended our front half was poor," Longmuir said.
"Then when we got some looks on ball movement chains, we just didn't execute the basics.
"So the first quarter is part of it, but that's underselling the whole story."
The Dockers only moved the ball inside 50 on 44 occasions to the Giants' 68 entries, making it difficult for their young tall forwards to make an impact especially with Luke Jackson forced into the ruck.
Jye Amiss had booted 15 majors in his previous five matches but went scoreless against the Giants' All-Australian defender Sam Taylor, while Josh Treacy also failed to hit the scoreboard as the Dockers only managed five goals.
"We haven't got 'Jacko' (Luke Jackson) as a forward, which unbalances that a little bit and puts even more pressure on Jye and Josh down there," Longmuir said.
"You have to drag 'JT' out of there because he has to be second ruck. So it has changed the balance of our team."
