It takes a lot to convince the sceptics of an AFL team's premiership credentials when its history is one largely of disappointment and unfulfilled expectation.
Which meant that even after 14 wins in a row, a rare stumble by Fremantle last week against Greater Western Sydney upped the ante further on what was already a top-of-the-ladder clash against Sydney in Perth on Thursday night.
And come halftime of the battle between two teams sitting several games ahead of the rest of the competition, those reservations might have justifiably turned into knowing smiles, as the Dockers headed to the rooms goalless, a miserable 0.11, and trailing the Swans by four goals.
And an hour after that? Well, let's just say if there are any sceptics remaining about Freo's flag claims, they're either not watching, or have some bizarre issue with the colour purple.
It wasn't just that the Dockers turned around a deficit of more than four goals to win by 38 points, it was how they did so. Emphatic scarcely does justice to Fremantle's 15.10 second half. And resilient would be perhaps also selling short their efforts in overcoming adversity.
We'll get to the numbers shortly, but it's also worth noting that when a team continues to build its case for premiership possibilities, it does so by winning in all sorts of circumstances, and in spite of all sorts of wild and wacky possibilities for which one can seldom plan.
And this potential Grand Final preview was full of them. Like, for example, a couple of free kicks paid for "taunting" (or more to the point in these cases) the ruffling of an opponent's hair. Some other what might be described as "softish" penalties dished out which ended up in goals.
Then the disease of inaccuracy, Fremantle booting five behinds in the first term, six in the second. These are the sorts of unexpected spanners in the works which have completely thrown teams more seasoned and with more successful histories than the Dockers.
But there's an obviously tougher streak to Justin Longmuir's team these days, and it's probably never been more effectively demonstrated than in this important victory, one which edges them ever so closer to all but clinching a home qualifying final.
In truth, whilst the halftime scoreboard looked awful for Fremantle, the other stats weren't as hideous. The inside 50 count, the contested possession tallies and clearance numbers all pretty much equal at the main break.
So when the Dockers got on top in those areas, as well as cleaned up their efficiency near goal, their dominance of Sydney became total.
Fremantle won the second half contested possession count by 28 and the clearance count 25-15, scoring heavily from those wins. Instrumental to that was the capacity of both Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong to lift after being well held by the likes of the Swans' James Jordon in the first half.
Add that to the already-performing Murphy Reid and Matthew Johnson (even without the absent Hayden Young) and it became a roster too deep and relentless even for the class of Sydney's Chad Warner, Errol Gulden and Isaac Heeney.
Shai Bolton, meanwhile, did as he often does, getting in some early tangles and trouble but ultimately prevailing with silky skill, while near goal Josh Treacy found his kicking boots.
Fremantle's defence, meanwhile, was its usual stingy and brave self, skipper Alex Pearce once again an inspirational presence. He was the key to a pivotal moment in the final term after Charlie Curnow had put the Swans back in front for the final time, his courageous mark launching an attack which culminated in a crucial goal to Treacy.
The other moment of high symbolism came not long after that as a now desperate Sydney tried to create some spark through the middle of the ground.
Heeney bit off a little more than he could chew with a speculative pass through the corridor which was not only chopped off by Michael Frederick, but promptly passed off back to Treacy, standing near Heeney, as the desperate Swan was imperiously brushed aside by the larger, stronger Freo forward.
And with Treacy's resultant goal, it really was game, set and match. Indeed, the Dockers would kick 12 of 14 goals scored before a couple of late efforts by Sydney's Jake Lloyd.
Incredible to think, really, that just two quarters previously, all those well-worn doubts about Fremantle on the big stage with something of consequence at stake were swirling around once again.
That can't possibly be the case now. The Dockers have the talent and depth in all parts of the ground. They have the capacity to turn adversity around, demonstrated once again in this very impressive victory.
They also have a trophy cabinet that's well overdue to have something actually sitting in it. And after another win of this magnitude, doubting their capacity to do just that is, to be frank, probably now more foolishness than scepticism.
You can read more of Rohan Connolly's work at FOOTYOLOGY.