FREMANTLE looks every bit a premiership threat after a ruthless 50-point win over Melbourne at Optus Stadium, rocketing back into the top four with one of its best performances of the season and leaving the Demons in a scrap to play finals.

The Dockers made a statement in front of their home crowd with a 17.14 (116) to 10.6 (66) win that included periods of utter dominance for the second time this season against the 2021 premiers, kicking their second highest score of the year.

DOCKERS v DEMONS Full match coverage and stats

They had every aspect of their game in order with a full-strength 23 but will now sweat on the fitness of captain Alex Pearce after the key defender was substituted following heavy contact to the left forearm that he recently fractured. 

The Demons chose not to select a bona fide ruckman in the absence of injured skipper Max Gawn and were punished at the coalface as the Dockers produced a stoppage clinic that formed the bedrock for their win, winning the clearances 47-15.  

Their forwards feasted as a result, with Josh Treacy producing another dominant performance opposed to Steven May with three goals and 12 marks, while Michael Walters and Jye Amiss each kicked four goals. 

Midfield trio Andrew Brayshaw (41 disposals and six inside 50s), Caleb Serong (36 and six clearances) and Hayden Young (28 and 11 inside 50s) were outstanding, while Sean Darcy returned from concussion to control the stoppages with 34 hitouts and eight clearances himself. 

It was perhaps the Dockers' rapid, clean ball movement and an ability to repeatedly get players free over the top of Melbourne's defence that stood out, however, with their pace and willingness to run impossible for the Demons to match.

Their lead stretched to 67 points during the final quarter before a run of three late goals for the Demons cut the margin to 50 points in a match that felt more one-sided than the scoreboard reflected at times. 

The Dockers were prepared for a different challenge against Melbourne after Simon Goodwin reverted to a more familiar game style following his team's 92-point loss in round 12, turning the Demons into the best contested ball team in the AFL since that alarming performance.

Fremantle could not have been more ready, however, winning the first 14 clearances of the game and winning the contested ball 40-29 in the first quarter as it overwhelmed the visitors with its defensive pressure. 

Brayshaw set the tone with an early chase-down tackle, while breakout star Treacy, Amiss and Sam Sturt all hit the scoreboard early as the Dockers built a 21-point lead at the first change. 

Midfielder Jack Viney finally delivered a clearance for the Demons at the start of the second term and it led to the team's first goal, through wingman Caleb Windsor, before the game quickly settled back into a pattern of purple dominance. 

The Dockers regularly worked the ball from inside to outside with handball chains and dominated field position, with Treacy outmarking Jake Lever in the goalsquare, Jackson converting a checkside set shot on the boundary, and Walters marking uncontested inside 50 as the lead built.

For all their dominance, however, skill errors crept in and created opportunities for the Demons to counter, with Jacob van Rooyen booting back-to-back goals and limiting the half-time margin to 30 points after Walters converted after the siren.

If inaccuracy and missed opportunities made Justin Longmuir feel uneasy at the main break, the coach could relax somewhat after another ruthless patch to start the third quarter as the Dockers kicked four quick goals through polished counter attacks. 

Where its clearance dominance had been on show through the first half, now it was Freo's fast feet and overlap run that was exposing the Demons as the lead swelled to a game-high 53 points and any hope of a comeback was soon extinguished. 

Melbourne fought hard through the remainder of the third and capitalised on a period of ascendency with three quick goals, but its only other run came in red time of the final term as the Dockers celebrated the Starlight Purple Haze game in style.  

Dees' unwanted history 
Melbourne became the first team since Champion Data started recording clearance numbers to record fewer than five in a first half on Sunday, entering the main break with only three clearances as a team. The Dockers led the indicator 24-3, with Caleb Serong (five) beating the Demons on his own as Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson did as they pleased in the air. The Demons, who didn't win a clearance in the first quarter, effectively conceded the hitouts in the absence of Max Gawn but they couldn't make up for that at ground level. The crucial centre clearances read 17-8 at the final siren. 

Freo takes caution with skipper 
Alex Pearce wasted no time making his way to the bench after absorbing heavy contact to the left forearm he fractured a month ago in the third quarter. The captain, who was playing his first game back, was wearing a protective guard but still looked sore on the bench before being substituted out. He is set to undergo precautionary scans but the Dockers were hopeful he would be cleared of any further damage. Fortunately, young key defender Josh Draper has played extensively at AFL level this season and is in form at WAFL level if he gets his chance again. 

Brayshaw fires in statement game 
In a stat line that included 41 disposals, six inside 50s, and 24 handball receives, it would be easy to overlook Andrew Brayshaw's three tackles. But you can be assured the Dockers won't after the 2022 club champion ran tirelessly to set an example for his team and was rewarded with crunching chase-down tackles. His first set the tone, but his diving tackle to catch young Demon Koltyn Tholstrup holding the ball after back-to-back Melbourne goals in the second quarter was outstanding. The 24-year-old is in great form again in a midfield that is hard to compete with. 

FREMANTLE           3.5     7.9     11.11     17.14 (116)  
MELBOURNE          0.2     3.3       6.5         10.6 (66)  

GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 4, Amiss 4, Treacy 3, Sturt 3, Serong, Jackson, Clark
Melbourne: van Rooyen 2, Chandler 2, Windsor, Turner, Petty, Melksham, Langdon, Billings

BEST
Fremantle: Brayshaw, Treacy, Serong, Darcy, Young, Walters, Clark
Melbourne: van Rooyen, May, McVee, Rivers

INJURIES
Fremantle: Pearce (arm), Jackson (corked calf)
Melbourne: Salem (tight hamstring)

SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: James Aish (replaced Alex Pearce in the third quarter)
Melbourne: Jack Billings (replaced Koltyn Tholstrup in the third quarter)

Crowd: 42,215 at Optus Stadium