FREMANTLE has failed to hold off a spirited late charge from Melbourne defeated 17.17 (119) to 15.23 (113) at the MCG on Sunday.
Led by another standout performance from skipper Matthew Pavlich, Fremantle was the superior side in the first half and established a 51-point lead but could only muster four goals after the main break to the Demons’ 14.
Melbourne did not take the lead until the 22nd minute of the final term, but Freo had no answer to the fourth quarter onslaught which yielded nine goals to the Dees.
Pavlich finished with five goals and 18 possessions on the day while Rhys Palmer (20 disposals) and Dean Solomon (21) were also prominent. Aaron Sandilands played well in his 100th AFL match and recorded 32 hitouts and 15 touches.
Russell Robertson and Austin Wonnaeamirri did the damage late for Melbourne with four goals apiece with Cameron Bruce finishing with 31 disposals.
Both sides made late changes with Daniel Gilmore coming in for Des Headland, while Matthew Whelan was withdrawn from the Demons’ side and replaced by Daniel Bell.
Fremantle set the tone early with Garrick Ibbotson kicking the first goal of the day within two minutes of the opening bounce. Brad Green did well to reply after out-marking Steven Dodd in the goal square, but it was to be the Demons’ only major of the term as Freo asserted its dominance at the stoppages.
Chris Tarrant’s first goal followed after a nice pass from Jeff Farmer and Palmer used one of his seven first-quarter possessions to split the middle.
Pavlich needed a few sighters before he got his radar working and when Tarrant slotted his second the Purple Haze went into the first break with a well-earned 27-point lead.
Fremantle looked well on the way to its first interstate win for the season with superior pressure on the ball carrier the driving force behind a six goals to two second term.
Farmer provided a highlight as he elevated high above Bell to take a great mark and he got himself on the score sheet soon after when he intercepted an errant Melbourne handpass and ran into an open goal.
Twin towers Pavlich and Tarrant, whose third goal was a deft little around the corner dribbler, continued to cause headaches for Dean Bailey and when David Mundy chipped in with a major the margin had blown out to 51 points just before the long break.
It looked like Fremantle by how much as the second half began, but the contest was turned on its head by a revitalised Melbourne outfit.
After scoring just three goals in the first half, the Demons mounted a withering burst of five unanswered goals to come roaring back into contention.
Aaron Davey was instrumental in the turnaround with two goals as the deficit was slashed to just 19 points late in the third quarter.
With his side under intense pressure, Pavlich seized the moment and stopped the Dees’ run with two goals in 30 seconds to settle the ship; the first after strong work inside 50 and the second a monster from well inside the centre square.
Fremantle held a 32-point lead at the final change, but the Demons still had plenty of fight left in them.
Robertson and Wonaeamirri were near unstoppable inside 50 with five goals between them as Melbourne piled on nine goals to snatch the lead for the first time in the match 22 minutes into the last quarter.
Pavlich continued to lead from the front and added his fifth of the match, but it would be his side’s last of the day as the Demons booted the final three goals of the contest to record their first win of the season.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
MATCH DETAILS
Melbourne 1.3, 3.8, 8.15, 17.17 (119)
Fremantle 5.6, 11.10, 13.17, 15.23 (113)
GOALS
Melbourne : Wonnaeamirri 4, Robertson 4, Davey 3, Miller 3, Green 2, Moloney.
Fremantle : Pavlich 5, Tarrant 3, Farmer 2, Palmer, Bell, Ibbotson, Mundy, Solomon
BEST
Melbourne: McLean, Wonnaeamirri, Robertson, Davey, Miller, Bruce, Green.
Fremantle: Pavlich, Solomon, Palmer, Sandilands, Bell, Ibbotson, Tarrant.
INJURIES
Melbourne : Matthew Whelan replaced in selected side by Daniel Bell
Fremantle: Luke McPharlin (corked buttock), Des Headland (knee) replaced in selected side by Daniel Gilmore
Reports: Nil
Umpires: James, Stewart, Avon
Official crowd: 19,423 at MCG
