The Dees unveiled top-two draft picks Tom Scully and Jack Trengove in the Sunday night clash, but the pair had little impact as Fremantle pushed out to an early lead and ran out winners 1.13.10 (97) to 2.4.8 (50).
It was a bad night generally for first-round draft picks, with prized Fremantle youngsters Anthony Morabito and Stephen Hill also quiet, but a host of rookie-listed players stood up to drive the comfortable win.
Mature-age VFL recruit Michael Barlow, 22, made a convincing case for pre-season elevation with 29 possessions from Freo's midfield. Fellow rookies Alex Silvagni and Clancee Pearce (20 possessions and two goals) also impressed.
With Dean Solomon retiring, Fremantle can elevate at least two rookies before the start of the season and Barlow, who averaged 30-possessions a game in the VFL last season, looks a likely choice.
“He’s unassuming, he sort of racked them up when playing at VFL level last year too, so he knows how to get the ball,” Harvey said.
“The true test now comes when everyone has seen him and whether he can keep going. We’re really pleased with the way he went, particularly in close.”
Fremantle travels to Etihad Stadium to face North Melbourne in a round two clash next Sunday, but Harvey may be without the injured Adam McPhee (ankle) and Byron Schammer (ankle), while Greg Broughton was reported for a forceful front-on hit on Melbourne’s Ricky Petterd.
While the youngsters caught the eye, Paul Duffield (25 touches), David Mundy (19) and Roger Hayden (23) played key roles with Michael Johnson making a good start to an expected push forward with three goals.
It was a new-look forward set-up for Fremantle, with Pavlich returning to attack for three goals, while Des Headland and Hayden Ballantyne were lively with two goals each.
“They’ve been working very closely with each other over the last three or four months and have got a fairly good chemistry down there,” Harvey said.
Melbourne’s star draftees ran onto the field together six minutes into the opening quarter, but finished with 26 possessions between them. Exciting forward Liam Jurrah was also well held, finishing goalless.
“It was their first game,” coach Dean Bailey said of Scully and Trengove. “It was good to see them out there and we’ve got to make sure we put some game time [into them], and manage them well through the pre-season and into the season.
“As long as we manage them well and they improve, they’ll be a chance (for round one).”
Among the positives for Bailey was former Brisbane Lion Joel Macdonald, who proved a valuable pre-season draft acquisition. Defenders Jared Rivers and James Frawley also held firm on a tough night.
"I thought Joel was good - I thought he won probably three or four really good 50-50 balls, which was really good,” Bailey said.
Jack Grimes finished with a humble 12 possessions but was a regular fixture in Bailey’s centre square rotations and didn’t look out of place after moving up the ground from defence.
Fremantle burst out of the blocks to kick the first five goals, capitalising on a string of mistakes from the Demons. When Pearce kicked a super goal on the half-time siren the home side was 24 points clear.
Another four straight goals to open the third built a 48-point lead and paved the way for the round-two clash with North. Melbourne moves into the NAB Challenge series.
Fremantle 0.4.4 1.6.6 1.10.9 1.13.10 (97)
Melbourne 0.0.2 2.1.3 2.2.5 2.4.8 (50)
GOALS
Fremantle: Nine-point goals: Pearce Goals: Johnson 3, Pavlich 3, Ballantyne 2, Headland 2, Mayne, Pearce, Sandilands
Melbourne: Nine-point goals: Green, Davey Goals: Miller 2, Morton, Petterd
BEST
Fremantle: Mundy, Barlow, Hayden, Duffield, Grover, Ballantyne
Melbourne: Macdonald, Jones, Rivers, Frawley, Grimes
INJURIES
Fremantle: McPhee (ankle), Schammer (ankle)
Melbourne: Spencer (corked thigh)
Reports: Broughton (Fremantle) reported for rough conduct
Umpires: Margetts, Dalgleish, McInerny, Keating
Official crowd: 11,031 at Subiaco Oval
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
