Such was the dominance of Fremantle in the opening term, Melbourne had three players who did not have a possession to quarter-time, not including the substitute Rohan Bail. Luke Tapscott, Neville Jetta, and Mark Jamar did not have an official disposal for the quarter, although Jamar had 13 hit-outs. Max Gawn and James Seller had just one touch each to quarter-time, which meant that five of the 21 active Demons combined for two touches in the first quarter.

 

Melbourne coach Mark Neeld spent the majority of the second quarter coaching from the bench after the communication lines from the coaches' box failed to work. Questions have been asked all year whether the message from the Melbourne coaching staff to the players was getting through, and the phone lines at Patersons Stadium were not helping matters.

 

All Australian defender Luke McPharlin came to the interchange bench for a rest during the third term. When he was handed the substitute's red vest, he thought the coaching staff were playing a joke on him. But they were deadly serious. Having already suffered a huge injury toll this year, Ross Lyon was taking no risks, with his side more than 70 points in front. McPharlin was not impressed having racked up 17 disposals and 10 marks mopping up in defence.

 

There is a fascination with the falcon in football. Mainly because of the mirth it brings to all those who are watching. But if ever a falcon summed up where a football club is at, it was the one suffered by Melbourne's James Frawley in the second quarter. Matt Jones had the ball at half-back and tried to deliver a short pass to a teammate only to kick it into the back of Frawley's head as he ran past. It caused yet another turnover in a dismal display by the Demons.

Fremantle's record winning margin against Melbourne was 61 points in round 23 last year. Fremantle led the Demons by 71 points at half-time on Sunday afternoon and was eyeing off a record-winning margin in the club's history, which stood at 112 points against Collingwood in 2005. But a poor third term dashed any hopes of breaking that record. It was still the biggest win over Melbourne in Fremantle's history, and Melbourne's equal lowest score against the Dockers.