Melbourne gets its season back on track with a huge win over Fremantle in Darwin
MELBOURNE’S hunt for a top-four spot is back on track after a midfield masterclass against Fremantle. However, veteran Jordan Lewis faces a nervous wait after making contract with Michael Walters. Watch the incident here.
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MELBOURNE’S hunt for a top-four spot is back on after a midfield masterclass and sheer weight of numbers counteracted a wasteful display in front of goal in their comfortable 54-point win over Fremantle in Darwin.
In stark contrast, the Dockers’ season is in danger of going right off the rails after a second demoralising defeat in as many matches after their mid-year bye.
Ross Lyon’s men struggled from the outset without injured stars Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe as All-Australian ruckman Max Gawn and the Demons’ tough on-ball division dominated in hot and humid conditions.
GAME RECAP: HOW THE DEMONS TOPPED THE DOCKERS
STAT REVIEW: WHO STOOD UP IN DEES’ BIG WIN
Clayton Oliver (35 disposals), Angus Brayshaw (31) and Jack Viney (28) controlled the midfield battle and Jesse Hogan and Tom McDonald got busy in attack as Melbourne generated a massive 78 inside-50s.
The tally was just five shy of the all-time record and came on the back of a 42-28 clearance advantage, including 16-6 in the centre square, and repeat entries after a flurry of behinds in the first half.
The inaccuracy was the only thing missing from Melbourne’s performance — and one of few reasons Fremantle were in the contest for three quarters — in a 13.24 (102) to 7.6 (48) victory in front of 8689 fans.
The win may be somewhat soured, with two Melbourne stars facing scrutiny from the match review officer after an off-the-ball incident between Hogan and Lachie Neale and Jordan Lewis’ elbow into Michael Walters’ stomach.
It was the 10th time the free-scoring Demons have cracked triple figures this season.
Hogan was one of almost a dozen goal kickers with two, a tally matched by Oliver, as nine players added singles.
Even Gawn got in on the act with a team-lifter after the three-quarter time siren.
Christian Petracca (28 disposals), Bailey Fritsch (25) and Christian Salem (29) were among the many strong performers.
Stephen Hill (25 possessions) tried hard for Fremantle in his 200th game and veteran David Mundy (19) was a workhorse in the midfield in Fyfe’s absence.
Adam Cerra (22) was the best of the younger brigade, while Tommy Sheridan (23) and Michael Walters (22) kicked two goals each as two of the Dockers’ better players.
Joel Hamling and Alex Pearce toiled away in defence under a deluge of Melbourne attacking raids.
Tall target Brennan Cox kicked two goals, but the Dockers’ forwards were starved of opportunities.
Things started to go awry for Fremantle even before the first bounce when coach Ross Lyon ran to the wrong box at the unfamiliar venue.
Hogan looked as if he would grab the game by the throat in the opening five minutes as Melbourne established an early territorial dominance and registered the opening seven inside-50s.
But the bustling forward’s four marks and five disposals in that time yielded just three behinds and Fremantle responded, with Sheridan kicking truly on the run from their first forward foray.
It set the scene for the opening term.
The Demons’ wastefulness in front of goal continued and both sides struggled to cope with the slippery conditions.
Mundy pounced on a horror Neville Jetta turnover at half-back to level the scores, but Melbourne kept their noses in front.
They had 11 of 14 clearances — four to one out of the centre square — and of their 2.9 at quarter-time, just one behind was rushed.
Another shot by Charlie Spargo went out on the full.
They should probably have already been four of five goals in front.
Fremantle had been too cute in possession, indecisive at times and not hard enough at the contest — and Lyon raced out to give them an old-fashioned spray at the break.
Goals to Nathan Jones, Jeff Garlett and Tom McDonald in a 10-minute patch broke the game out for Melbourne, who were dominating around the ground.
It had been coming.
Angus Brayshaw, Oliver and Viney got Melbourne going out of the centre and helped generate a massive 45-13 advantage in inside-50s at half-time.
At that stage they were on track to break their own record of 83, set in round eight against Gold Coast.
Hogan and Tom McDonald were everywhere as they worked up and down the ground, the latter also deputising for Gawn in the ruck.
Gawn did most of the heavy lifting against Sean Darcy and Michael Apeness.
Youngster Darcy battled manfully in his first AFL game of the season, having missed a large chunk through injury, but gave away a crucial free kick on the three-quarter time siren.
Gawn had missed a simple shot earlier in the match but converted from 40m and celebrated in style as he teammates rushed in to congratulate him.
It gave the Demons a 31-point buffer at three-quarter time and they went into party mode, piling on four goals to one in the final term to rub salt in Fremantle’s wounds.
MELBOURNE 2.9 5.15 9.18 13.24 (102)
FREMANTLE 2.0 4.2 6.5 7.6 (48)
HOPE’S BEST
Demons: Oliver, Gawn, Brayshaw, T.McDonald, Petracca, Viney, Hogan.
Dockers: Mundy, S.Hill, Cerra, Sheridan, Walters.
GOALS
Demons: Oliver 2, Hogan 2, Melksham, Jones, Garlett, T.McDonald, Salem, Gawn, Spargo, Harmes, Neal-Bullen
Dockers: Cox 2, Sheridan 2, Walters 2, Mundy.
INJURIES
Demons: Nil. Dockers: Nil.
UMPIRES
Pannell, Chamberlain, O’Gorman
CROWD
8689 at TIO Stadium
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Originally published as Melbourne gets its season back on track with a huge win over Fremantle in Darwin