The Dockers’ ‘Deemolition’ and why a ‘re-think’ is required for the Rising Star gong

The Dockers’ utter domination of Melbourne shapes as a sliding doors moment in both teams’ seasons.

For Fremantle, they not only jumped back inside the top eight (6th), but also added a massive 11.8 per cent, while the Demons now find themselves doing plenty of soul-searching, dropping more than 12 per cent and four spots to 10th on the table, ahead of a King’s Birthday clash against reigning premiers Collingwood.

It was the most complete performance from the Dockers in years, certainly under Justin Longmuir.

Their 22.9 (141) was their highest score under the fifth-year coach, which doubled as Melbourne’s greatest conceded score under Longmuir’s counterpart, Simon Goodwin.

Fremantle’s 5.2 (33) was their highest opening term of the season and the 17-point margin at the first break only told a fraction of the story.

After conceding the first two goals of the game, the Dockers flicked the switch.

Their pressure rating was a lowly 145, 43 below the Demons at that stage.

But they ramped it up, and more importantly, they maintained it.

Fremantle’s second and third goals, from previously struggling forwards Michael Walters and Jye Amiss, were on the back of pressure and Demons errors.

Jordan Clark, the Dockers fourth goalkicker, was the beneficiary from another forward-half turnover.

In less than 10 minutes their pressure rating had soared to an elite 224 ranking, Melbourne’s plummeting to 166.

At quarter time, Fremantle had scored 4.1 (25) from forward-half turnovers, this dominance continuing in the second quarter leading the statistic 8.2 (50) to 1.1. (7) at the half.

Luke Jackson and Nat Fyfe of the Dockers (right) celebrate during the 2024 AFL Round 12 match between the Melbourne Demons and the Fremantle Dockers at TIO Traeger Park on June 02, 2024 in Alice Springs, Australia.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

They attacked in defence, going after and closing down their opponents, giving the Demons no time and space, making them look brittle and anything but premiership contenders.

And unlike recent times, they kicked accurately, getting full reward for effort on the scoreboard.

Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy worked over Max Gawn, while adding four goals between them.

Jye Amiss looked the best he has in probably two months, kicking straight (4.0) and flying for marks.

Luke Ryan and Clark did as they pleased in defence.

Josh Treacy’s ability to press up the ground to provide a leading target and then work back was a highlight, booting three goals.

Sam Switkowski was damaging and productive with all of his career-best 25 touches.

By far, it was Fremantle’s best spread of contributors across the ground all year, and heading into the bye, should provide a great level of confidence they can go deep into 2024.

The “re-think” required for the Rising Star award

There was little surprise when the MRO findings dropped on Sunday afternoon Eagles prized pick Harley Reid would be looking at some time on the sidelines.

His sling tackle on Saint Darcy Wilson is the very action the AFL wants out of the game, his rough conduct charge resulting in a two-match ban due to the grading of careless conduct, high-impact and high contact.

As the Eagles look to downgrade the high-impact charge to medium at Tuesday’s Tribunal, Reid’s suspension means last year’s number one draft pick is ineligible to win the Rising Star award.

Reid was previously at unbackable odds for the prize, and ironically, the second favourite Bulldog Sam Darcy, was also slapped with a two-week suspension on the same weekend.

Both Reid and Darcy had put together brilliant 2024 campaigns to date, clearly a fair margin in front of their rivals.

But it’s time the AFL overhauled this notion of “best and fairest” tag for the award.

Players are now more likely to cop one or two week suspensions for dangerous or sling tackles, potentially what many would call “football acts” where some are unavoidable, but have negative outcomes.

The very acts of Reid and Darcy on the weekend wouldn’t have even been spoken about as “suspendible” when the Rising Star was first awarded in 1993.

It should simply be the “best” player in the pool and while they’re at it, a revamp of the current award criteria needs to occur with the below changes made to better reflect the current environment in the AFL.

1. If a player is suspended, you are ineligible - If a player is good enough to poll enough votes while doing so in less games, clearly they are superior to their competition and should be still eligible to win the award.
2. If a player is suspended, they cannot receive any votes - This hits hard at the integrity of the voting process with players who previously wouldn’t have been in the top five for awards, now earning votes. As seen in the Brownlow Medal, you’re still entitled to poll votes, suspended or not.
3. Each year’s nominated players must be under the age of 21 at January 1 and have played no more than 10 AFL games to the start of that season - The award should purely be for first year players, taken from the most recent draft with zero games experience. This eradicates major inequalities in age, experience and games played. Sam Darcy was taken in the 2021 draft, the same crop as Jason Horne-Francis and Nick Daicos. He’s still eligible due to be under 21 at January 1, 2024 and by only playing 7 games before this season. But he’s hugely advantaged by being in an elite system and professional environment for multiple years. He’s been the beneficiary for years of extra resources in aiding performance, rehabilitation and recovery, coaching, nutrition and the general understanding of what is required to make it as an AFL footballer.