Australian Football

Match Report

For the first time in history, Fremantle will finish an AFL home-and-away season at the top of the ladder after the Dockers easily defeated Melbourne at Subiaco in the last match of round 23. As has been their wont in 2015, the Dockers burst out of the blocks and built a big early lead with the first nine goals of the match, before plateauing and holding on for a 54-point win. This pattern has also fitted that of the Demons in recent weeks, so in many respects this match went according to script.

Melbourne went inside 50 more times than the Dockers early in the match but couldn't covert that advantage into scores. When Fremantle got going, it was able to translate its dominance into goals, and majors to Garrick Ibbotson, Matthew Pavlich, Michael Barlow, Danyle Pearce and Pavlich again saw the Dockers lead 31 to one at quarter time. 

The goals kept coming when the second term began, one each to Pearce, Lachie Neale, Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands putting Fremantle 55 points ahead after just eight minutes. Melbourne then hit back, just as it has done each week for the past month, kicking four of the next six goals to cut the lead to 43 points at the long break. 

Pearce's third within a minute of the start of the third quarter saw that lead extended to 49, but the next two majors went to Melbourne's Jesse Hogan and Jack Grimes as the Demons cut the difference to 35. But the Dockers settled and two goals to Matt de Boer saw them lead by an even eight goals at the last end change.

Melbourne showed some resilience early in the last term with goals to Max Gawn and Hogan but the famed Fremantle defence got back on top after that. The Demons did not score again and goals to Stephen Hill, Neale and Tom Sheridan saw the Dockers home by nine goals.

David Mundy (35 possessions, four tackles) and Lachie Neale (34 disposals, two goals) played fine games for the Dockers, while the best for Melbourne included Daniel Cross (39 touches, eight marks) and Jack Viney (13 tackles, 30 disposals). 

With top spot in the bag, the Dockers have announced they will rest several players for the match against Port Adelaide next Saturday. The Demons will see out the year with a match against GWS at Docklands on Sunday. The venue is not a happy hunting ground for Melbourne. It has lost 22 matches in a row there.

GOALS
Fremantle: Pavlich, D.Pearce 3; de Boer, Neale 2; Barlow, Mzungu, Ibbotson, Mayne, Sandilands, Hill, Sheridan
Melbourne: Garlett, Hogan 2; Grimes, Vince, Watts, Gawn

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
Fremantle: Mundy, Neale, Barlow, Hill, Suban, D. Pearce
Melbourne: Cross, Viney, Salem, Dunn, Gawn, Vince

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Fremantle: Mundy, Neale, D. Pearce, Hill, Barlow, C. Pearce, Suban
Melbourne: Cross, Viney, Gawn, Dunn, Grimes, Vince

INJURIES
Fremantle: Walters (calf, replaced in selected side), Sutcliffe (shoulder)
Melbourne: Jones (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Paul Duffield replaced Matthew Pavlich during the third quarter.
Melbourne: Jack Grimes replaced Nathan Jones during the second quarter.

UMPIRES: Farmer, Margetts, Brown

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Dermott Brereton, Brad Johnson, Barry Hall