Australian Football

Match Report

Fremantle remains at the to of the ladder and undefeated after the Dockers exerted considerable influence and authority over Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, leading from go to whoa to thrash the Demons by 68 points.

The Dockers established the pattern for the match very early, attacking relentlessly, and Stephen Hill, Matthew Taberner, Nick Suban and David Mundy all had goals on the board by the 12-minute mark of the first quarter. Jeff Garlett finally got the Demons on the board with a major at the 16-minute mark, but Danyle Pearce restored a 26-point lead to Fremantle with a goal four minutes later. Melbourne began to win a bit more possession towards the end of the term and a late goal to Jesse Hogan saw them cut the margin to 19 points at quarter time.

Pearce followed up with the first goal of the second term, but the Demons mounted somewhat of a challenge after that, goals to Aaron Vandenberg and Garlett cutting the Dockers' lead back to 15 points half way through the quarter. Matthew De Boer and Chris Mayne restored Fremantle's control with majors at the 19 and 21-minute marks before Jeff Garlett gave Demons' fans some hope going into the long break with a goal at the 26-minute mark.

Melbourne was given no chance of a comeback early in the third quarter, with the Dockers shutting down most of the Demons' attacking moves, restricting them to just two behinds while Chris Mayne added two goals and Lachie Neale kicked his first to take Fremantle to a six-goal lead. Angus Brayshaw kicked the last if the term to cut the margin to five goals at the last change, giving Melbourne a glimmer of a chance at the final change of ends.

The Demons had an opportunities to take that chance when the final quarter commenced, but could convert them only into behinds - two to Jeremy Howe and one to Vandenberg before Neale and Suban virtually settled the result with goals at the 10 and 14-minute marks. From that point, the Dockers assumed total control, adding five further majors while the Demons could muster nothing more than three further behinds. When the final siren sounded, Fremantle was more than 11 goals to the good, a fair reflection of the difference between the sides on the day. 

Nat Fyfe was brilliant for the Dockers, gleaning 340 touches and taking eight marks, while David Mundy (28 disposals, eight tackles) and Mayne (12 tackles, four goals) were excellent. From Melbourne's point of view, Brayshaw (six marks, 16 disposals) and Tom McDonald (nine marks, 17 possessions) were very good. 

Fremantle will look to make it six from six when it hosts Essendon next Saturday night, while Melbourne will meet Sydney at the MCG, looking for its third win of the season.

GOALS
Melbourne: Garlett 3; Hogan, vandenBerg, Brayshaw
Fremantle: Mayne 4; D Pearce, Suban, Neale, Taberner, Mundy 2; Hill, de Boer, Fyfe, Sandilands

BEST - THE AGE
Melbourne: Brayshaw, McDonald, Garlett, Cross
Fremantle: Fyfe, Mundy, C Pearce, McPharlin, Mayne, Barlow, D Pearce

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: Brayshaw, McDonald, Grimes, Garlett, Cross
Fremantle: Fyfe, Mayne, Barlow, McPharlin, Neale, C Pearce, Mundy, Suban

INJURIES 
Melbourne: Salem (suspected concussion)
Fremantle: Walters (concussion), Pavlich (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Jordie McKenzie replaced Christian Salem (concussion) in the third quarter
Fremantle: Matt De Boer replaced Michael Walters (concussion) in the second quarter

UMPIRES: O'Gorman, Ryan, Pannell 

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Danny Frawley, Barry Hall