Australian Football

Match Report

Melbourne has broken a five-year drought, defeating the Fremantle Dockers by 32 points at Marrara Oval in Darwin. It was the Demons' first win at the ground since July 2011, when they beat Port Adelaide by 21 points. Only Nathan Jones and Jack Watts remain in the Melbourne side that won that night. The win was set up by a big first half from the Demons', in which they kicked nine goals to three to lead by 43 points at the long break before the Dockers made up for a poor first half with stronger efforts in the third and final terms. 

Fremantle looked like it had 'come to play' early in the first quarter with a goal after just one minute. Dean Kent then got the Demons on the board and a mark and goal to Jack Watts had Melbourne ahead by six points at the seven-minute mark. Nick Suban then levelled the scores with his first at the 11-minutre mark but the Dockers went missing for the rest of the term after that, failing to score as the Demons piled on 4.5 to nothing to open up a 29-point quarter-time lead. Melbourne's six goals were shared between three players, with Watts kicking three, Kent two and Hogan one. 

As things went from bad to worse for the Dockers in the second quarter the Demons continued to build own their quarter-time lead. Though Melbourne's scoring dried up to a certain extent, Fremantle's was virtually non-existent, the Dockers managing no more than a rushed behind for the first 20 minutes, while Aaron Vandenberg and Kent added goals for Melbourne. Matthew Pavlich finally scored Fremantle's first goal of the term at the 22-minute mark but Nathan Jones responded for the Demons, who took a commanding 43-point lead into the half-time break. 

Pavlich's second goal at the start of the third quarter gave the Dockers a flicker of hope but a brace of majors to Hogan had Melbourne out to a game-high 50 point lead at the 13-minute mark of the term. There was an unexpected and marked reversal of fortune after that. Fremantle got right on top in general play after that and two goals from Chris Mayne followed by Pavlich's third had the Dockers back within 31 points at 'orange' time. 

Hogan's fourth goal had Melbourne back out to a 38-point lead at the four-minute mark of the last quarter with his fourth goal but Hayden Ballantyne responded two minutes later with his first to keep Fremantle's slim chances alive. But as the warm night took toll on players of both sides, the game degenerated into a behind-fest, each team adding a further three as the Demons held on to win by just over five goals. 

Jesse Hogan's 12 marks and four goals had him amongst his side's best, while Lachie Neale (33 possessions, eight tackles) was a stand out for the Dockers.

Despite the win, it's seventh of the season, Melbourne remains three games adrift of the the top eight, with a game against St Kilda to come ay Docklands next Sunday. The Dockers, stuck on three wins and in 16th place on the ladder, will take on Geelong (sixth) in a home game at Subiaco on Friday night. 

GOALS
Melbourne: Hogan 4; Watts, Kent 3; Vandenberg, Jones
Fremantle: Pavlich 3; Mayne 2; Suban, Taberner, Ballantyne

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: Hogan, Viney, Jones, Watts, Hunt, Tyson, Grimes
Fremantle: Neale, Hill, Sutcliffe, Pavlich, Blakely

BEST - HERALD SUN
Melbourne: Gawn, Kent, Hogan, T McDonald, N Jones, Viney, Tyson
Fremantle: Neale, Hill, Walters, Sutcliffe, Pavlich

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Fremantle: Nil

REPORTS: Lachie Weller (Fremantle) reported for high contact against Jayden Hunt (Melbourne).

UMPIRES: Margetts, Ryan, Mitchell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Adam Papalia, Dermott Brereton, Brad Johnson