Fremantle have claimed the top-eight scalp they’ve been craving, made the fourth placed Melbourne look ordinary and sent a statement to the AFL with a thumping 92-point win at Traeger Park in Alice Springs.
Playing in the red centre, the Dockers tore Melbourne to pieces in the centre square, had too much speed around the ground and then barely missed when shooting for goal to win 22.9 (141) to 7.7 (49).
It was the highest score Fremantle have ever kicked under Justin Longmuir and their second largest winning margin away from home in the club’s history.
The Dockers entered the match having not beaten a top-eight team this season and were determined to beat a strong team to stamp themselves as contenders.
The stats told the story. Fremantle won the inside 50 count 68-36, the clearances 47-23 and had 77 more disposals than the Demons.
They made a statement by recovering from conceding the first two goals of the game to kick 11 of the next 12 and storm to a 50-point lead at half-time.
It was a stunning display of football based on pressure and speed.
They relished the wide open spaces at Traeger Park and Josh Treacy gave them the lead up target to get the ball forward quickly.
Treacy had nine possessions, eight marks and three goals in the first half while working up and down the ground.
With Fremantle dominating the contested possessions, the ball lived in their half and Melbourne had no answers as the Dockers kept converting their chances.
Gone were the inaccurate scores of 11.9, 9.18 and 4.15 from the last three weeks. They went to half-time with 11.5.
That included a 50m set shot from Jye Amiss after his recent battles in front of the big sticks. He booted another major from a snap and should have had a third after taking a mark at the top of the goal square.
Amiss tried to be unselfish by handballing to Bailey Banfield but Melbourne saw that move coming and forced an error.
The Dockers’ midfielders were all having strong days. Andrew Brayshaw just kept winning clearances and Hayden Young had a stack of the ball.
While Fremantle’s big names all got their hands on the footy, Melbourne’s battled.
Clayton Oliver had only eight possessions in the first half and Max Gawn had managed nine despite kicking the opening goal of the day.
Could the Dockers go on with it? You bet.
Melbourne kicked the first goal of the third quarter after the Dockers made mistakes in defence but then Fremantle slammed on another five unanswered goals.
Everything Fremantle touched turned to gold.
Sean Darcy snapped a goal in general play, Caleb Serong kicked a brilliant major from the boundary line and Michael Frederick nailed another shot from the opposite boundary.
The Dockers equalled their highest score of the season before time on in the third quarter as they piled on the goals and from there it was just a matter of how many records they could set for the rest of the day.
Fremantle reached a 100-point lead in the final quarter but Melbourne eventually got the deficit below three figures on an ugly day for the club.