1. Calculators down
Fremantle's chances of a home elimination final against West Coast next weekend took a hit when North Melbourne failed to notch a percentage-boosting win against Greater Western Sydney. Fremantle needed to lose against Melbourne or win by roughly less than two goals to finish eighth and play the Eagles. That looked an unlikely scenario when the home team skipped to a 32-point lead at half-time, and Ross Lyon said post-match that he had no interest in "managing" the result. "We're happy to play anyone, anytime really," he said.
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2. Coleman Medal tie?
Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich missed last week's win over North Melbourne and he was slightly off on Saturday night, kicking 2.3 to draw level with Geelong's Tom Hawkins in the Coleman Medal. Jack Riewoldt (59 goals) could take the lead if he kicks four goals or more against Port Adelaide on Sunday. Pavlich was bypassed inside 50 a number of times in the last quarter and he came off the ground for a brief rest with three-and-a-half minutes left in the match. The 30-year-old will be Fremantle's leading goalkicker for an eighth time but he has never previously won the Coleman Medal.
3. McPharlin blow
If Fremantle is to make an impact on this finals series, it will have to do so without one of its most important players after Luke McPharlin suffered a hamstring injury. The key defender limped from the ground early in the third quarter and Lyon confirmed he would be unavailable against Geelong. It is an injury that could end the veteran's season. Alex Silavgni (three games this season) and Antoni Grover (one), who will retire at the end of the season, are potential replacements.
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4. A case for the duo
The form of Aaron Sandilands and Jon Griffin working in tandem on Saturday night could convince Lyon to take both big men into next Saturday's elimination final. Griffin had only played alongside Sandilands twice before, but he impressed his coach against the Demons with his ability to compete in the forward line, kicking two goals and bringing the ball to ground for crumbers Hayden Ballantyne and Michael Walters. "He kept the pressure on in the ruck … it's something we liked," Lyon said.
5. Melbourne plots ruthless off-season
It was a quiet end to a disappointing season for the Demons, but coach Mark Neeld said on Saturday night that the club would be ruthless in its quest to improve its list this off-season. "We've got the opportunity now to be ruthless in our analysis of our own list plus any other players that we think can come in and help us move forward and that's where we're at," he said. "The successful clubs that play good finals football and maintain a solid culture to stay in the finals, they're ruthless clubs and that's something we want to turn our club into."
Nathan Schmook is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan
