It was the fight that stopped the nation - the 1998 battle for Australia's waterfront. Two men with everything to lose. One story that shook the nation. The battle has begun.

Josh Bornstein, a young up-and-coming lawyer is outraged by the events on the docks of Melbourne and offers his services pro-bono to Greg Combet and the union movement. Josh is amazed that Greg has no sort of legal strategy yet and urges him to go for a radical new approach - don't wait to be attacked. Attack first.

Dock worker Sean McSwain is elected as the State Representative for the MUA, just as scab labour begins working on Berth 5 at Patrick's Webb Dock in Melbourne. It becomes his responsibility to run the protest at the Melbourne docks. This forces Sean directly up against Tony Tully (Jack Thompson), a second-generation wharfie, who is used to the Union's old ways of fighting.

Chris Corrigan is the Managing Director of Patrick Stevedores. He pits his will, strength and determination against the full resources of the labour movement, the media, the banks and, increasingly, the public, as Australian sentiment swings in behind the Union.