Fremantle have recorded one of the biggest wins in their club’s history, demolishing Melbourne 22.9 (141) to 7.5 (47) in the red centre that is Alice Springs.
The Dockers’ forwards had an absolute day out at TIO Traeger Park, with Jye Amiss leading the charge with his four goals, while teammates Michael Walters, Luke Jackson and Josh Treacy kicked three goals each in the 92-point win.
The win now shoots the Dockers into sixth on the ladder, with a percentage boost of well over 10 per cent a welcome side effect.
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Ginnivan blasted by teammate after goal | 00:44
Jordan Clark starred for Fremantle with 35 disposals, 15 marks and a goal, while Luke Ryan continued his run for a second All-Australian jacket, registering a mammoth 18 marks and 28 disposals.
The heavy handed loss for the Dees drops them outside of the eight and is the biggest score they’ve given up since 2016.
The 3-2-1 ...
3. DOCKERS ‘DEMOLITION’ IN ALICE SPRINGS DEBUT
After conceding the game’s first two goals, Fremantle devastated Melbourne in its first-ever home-and-away match at TIO Traeger Park in Alice Springs on Sunday.
Justin Longmuir’s Dockers quickly got on top of the Demons in the first quarter, repeatedly damaging Simon Goodwin’s side in turnover transition.
“It was (an) absolute demolition by Fremantle,” Jordan Lewis told Fox Footy at half-time.
“It was their ability to come forward in numbers and be around the contest, cause the spillage and then, on the back of that, be able to penetrate and punish them on turnover.
“And then, going forward, they had multiple options.”
The Dockers put up 50 points from 12 front-half Melbourne turnovers — in the first half alone.
“That’s one, their pressure, but certainly two, Melbourne not taking care of the ball as much as they should,” Lewis added.
Three-time Richmond premiership forward Jack Riewoldt added: “The Dockers’ ground-ball game is an area of heightened points for them, and they have really smacked Melbourne there and the ability to mark it forward.”
Josh Treacy kicked three goals in the first half, while Jye Amiss added two of his own. Amiss finished the game with four, while Treacy snagged three for the afternoon.
Fox Footy’s Nick Dal Santo acknowledged the significance of Fremantle triumph, examining Sean Darcy’s battle with Melbourne superstar skipper Max Gawn.
“We came here today thinking it was going to be a statement game by one of these teams — well, clearly it’s been the Freo Dockers,” he told the broadcast at three-quarter-time.
“After that first five to 10 minutes owned by the Dees, it’s been everything Dockers since then.
“It started in the middle. We spoke about this coming into the game. Sean Darcy, what I’ve loved about his game today is he’s got really physical with (Gawn).
“He’s worn him down, and it started at the first bounce. (Luke) Jackson forward, Darcy in the ruck, but this has been going on all game in the ruck contest, but around the ground (too).
“It hasn’t been a one-man effort; it’s been everyone trying to chip away at Max.”
Darcy finished with 14 disposals, four clearances, four tackles, 21 hit-outs — 10 to advantage — and a goal. Gawn managed just eight taps to advantage.
“Today, aside from the first minutes, it felt like the commitment across the board was at a really high level,” Caleb Serong told Fox Footy post-game.
Melbourne has played nine home-and-away games at Alice Springs’ TIO Traeger Park since 2013, but the Dockers looked like the side most acquainted with the venue on Sunday.
2. ‘IN A FLAT SPIN’: CONCERNS FOR LACKLUSTRE DEES AFTER WORRYING FALL FROM GRACE
Melbourne was categorically crushed by Fremantle on Sunday in a worrying showing by Simon Goodwin’s second-rate side.
Despite booting the first two goals of the game, the Demons conceded the next six to a determined Dockers outfit that was ominous and threatening in transition.
The Dees were -25 in clearances, -31 in the inside 50 count and recorded 78 fewer possessions.
Fremantle kicked 13 combined goals in the second and third quarters to Melbourne’s three, expanding its insurmountable lead and giving the Dees nowhere to go with ball in hand.
“I don’t think Melbourne has been caught kicking the ball backwards and handballing the ball backwards (like this),” Riewoldt told Fox Footy’s half-time coverage.
“The players come under pressure and then all of a sudden thought: ‘I’m just going to give it to someone else’ to put under pressure.
“There’s no pressure at all,” Riewoldt observed of Melbourne’s defensive actions in the third quarter.
Fox Footy analyst David King added: “Melbourne haven’t been allowed to play well; they haven’t been allowed to function.
“For every mistake Melbourne have made, Fremantle have put it on the scoreboard.”
The Dees’ final losing margin was a staggering 92 points — their biggest defeat since a 111-point Geelong shellacking in Round 23, 2016.
“Not one goal (scored) from stoppage, Melbourne,” Lewis noted after the final siren.
“Not one goal throughout the whole match. The way that the Dockers set up was fantastic.”
After the final siren, King expressed his concern about the hefty defeat.
“They’ve put this club, the Melbourne Football Club, into a flat spin,” King said post-game.
“I think it’s too simplistic to say ‘oh, it’s just a mulligan, move past it, move on’. You have to assess this one, you have to deep-dive into this one.
“I think they’re stuck in between two modes; last year’s and this year’s — and that’s a bad position to be in, in Round 12.”
Melbourne fell to ninth position after Sunday’s loss, and it could fall as low as 10th, pending Gold Coast’s result.
1. VETERAN’S INJURY ADDS INSULT TO ‘HORRIBLE’ DAY
Adding injury to insult, Melbourne wingman Lachie Hunter injured his calf halfway through the Demons’ “horrible” Sunday afternoon defeat.
Disappointingly, Hunter, who’d only just returned to AFL level last week for the first time this season, succumbed to a calf issue.
He was substituted out of the game early in the second half, with concerns remaining over his longer-term fitness.
At Thursday’s selection, Simon Goodwin recalled tall forward Daniel Turner in place of the injured Jacob van Rooyen, with crucial intercepting defender Jake Lever (knee) potentially sidelined for an additional three or four games. He was sorely missed on Sunday.
Harrison Petty, who was substituted out of last Sunday’s win over St Kilda with an ankle ailment, passed a fitness test to play against the Dockers, but he managed a game-low two disposals for the afternoon.
The Demons conceded a devastating scoreline of 22.9 (141) without Lever.
MELBOURNE v FREMANTLE - AS IT HAPPENED
There are no late changes for either side. Taj Woewodin (Melbourne) and Corey Wagner (Fremantle) have been named the starting substitutes.
Dees skipper Max Gawn slotted the game’s first major with a floating set shot.
“Far too easy,” Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis said as the Demons devastated the Dockers in transition to notch their second goal.
“(They’re) just not working hard enough through the middle of the ground; the midfielders weren’t accountable.”
However, the tide quickly turned at Traeger Park.
The Dockers got on the board through Josh Treacy, before Michael Walters and Jye Amiss got in on the action to open a five-point Fremantle lead!
Jordan Clark slammed home Freo’s fourth goal of the opening quarter to make it a 12-point buffer, with Lewis noting the Dockers are “looking dangerous in transition”.
“It’s been a very dominant middle part of this quarter,” Lewis added after Josh Treacy kicked Fremantle’s fifth consecutive goal to extend their lead to 18 points. The Dockers took a 17-point advantage into the first change.
Jye Amiss skied for a big grab and then kicked truly to increase Freo’s game-high lead to 24 points.
Melbourne finally broke Fremantle’s run of six consecutive goals when Clayton Oliver goaled on the run almost halfway through the second stanza.
Crucial key-defending Docker Alex Pearce was assessed for a lower leg issue halfway through the second quarter.
Luke Jackson kicked the Dockers back out to a 24-point lead, before Walters saluted with Fremantle’s eighth major of the first half. Meantime, Pearce re-entered the field of play after being cleared by medical staff.
Fremantle is +22 in contested possessions in worrying signs for the Demons.
“Apart from the first five minutes of this game, it has been all Fremantle,” Lewis said as the Dockers expanded their commanding lead to 49 points. They led by 50 at the main change.
The Dockers started the second half as they finished the first, booting four of the period’s first five goals.
“They don’t want this day to end!” exclaimed Fox Footy caller Anthony Hudson as the Dockers extended their game-high lead to 69 points.
As the third quarter neared an end, Michael Walters’ third goal made it an 82-point game.
Sam Sturt opened Fremantle’s account in the fourth quarter inside the first two minutes, before Jack Viney replied not long after.
Luke Jackson kicked his third for the afternoon, quickly followed by Jye Amiss with kicked his fourth for the afternoon - finding his form after a quiet last few weeks.
Nat Fyfe found himself in the right spot at the right time with seven and a half minute left, pushing out Fremantle’s lead to 99 points.
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