Match

Melbourne vs Fremantle

Commentary / 15 Apr 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to MCG for the Melbourne v Fremantle Round 4 clash.
59:33
Outs for Demons: T.Smith, O.McDonald, M.Gawn
59:34
Ins for Demons: S.Frost, J.Spencer, T.Bugg
59:36
No changes for Dockers.
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
Fremantle has been able to score from 28 per cent of stoppages this season (ranked equal-second), however from the Dockers have only done so from 15 per cent of their intercept possessions this season (ranked 18th).

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:29
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Tomas Bugg)
01:59
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Mitch Hannan)
03:06
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Shane Kersten)
03:29
Fremantle has had 10 more uncontested possessions than Melbourne leading up to the first goal to Kersten.
05:27
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Spencer)
05:34
In his first game since Round 22 2015, Jake Spencer has marked inside 50 and converted for Melbourne's first major. This is just his seventh goal in his 37-game career stretching back to 2009.
12:15
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Dean Kent)
14:32
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
15:06
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Cam McCarthy)
15:35
Following the pattern from last week's loss to Geelong, inaccuracy is again costing Melbourne early in this match. The Demons have managed scores from 63 per cent of their eight forward 50 entries but this includes just one goal.
18:02
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Nat Fyfe)
19:39
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (David Mundy)
21:08
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Watts)
21:55
Clayton Oliver has had a significant impact in the first term, with his centre clearance setting up Watts. The Melbourne youngster has amassed six contested possessions, four clearances two forward 50 entries and now a goal assist.
22:13
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jack Watts)
24:47
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Cam McCarthy)
28:48
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
28:58
Cam McCarthy has covered a lot of territory in the first term, leading all comers with 10 disposals and 203 metres gained in the first quarter. The Fremantle forward won seven of these in the midfield but still recorded two inside 50s and kicked a goal.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
02:21
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
03:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
04:18
Melbourne has controlled field position in the early stages of the second term and it has resulted in a major. The ball has been inside the Demons' half for 79 per cent of the quarter, with three consecutive forward 50 entries.
05:43
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Lachie Neale)
05:53
Nat Fyfe's first centre clearance has launched Fremantle's first goal for the game from that source. This season the Dockers average four more centre bounce clearances than their opposition, ranked third in the competition.
08:47
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Dean Kent)
09:23
Three of Melbourne's goals have come from intercepts within its forward 50. This season Fremantle turnovers in defensive 50 have been costly, with the Dockers conceding 13 points per game from this score source (ranked 13th).
12:29
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (David Mundy)
12:53
It's goal for goal here at the MCG as Mundy creates the seventh lead change with Fremantle's third goal from clearance wins. The Dockers have a big advantage in the ruck with Sandilands winning 14 more hit outs than Spencer.
14:02
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
15:01
Melbourne looks dangerous on the counter-attack, winning seven intercept possessions in defensive 50 and taking five of the resulting possession chains (71 per cent) inside 50 - with the latest resulting in Garlett's first goal.
16:49
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
16:52
Melbourne breaks the goal for goal pattern with two in a row. The Demons have improved their ball use this term, with their kicking efficiency for the quarter at 80 per cent compared to just 59 per cent in the first period.
20:09
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jack Viney)
20:48
Jack Viney has let Fremantle off after rare consecutive 50-metre penalties were given against Brad Hill. Across 2016-2017 the Dockers average 1.2 50-metre penalties conceded per game, the equal-second worst rate across the competition.
22:04
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Bradley Hill)
23:26
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Cam McCarthy)
24:30
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
24:37
This quarter Melbourne has been much cleaner with ball in hand. The Dockers have recorded a turnover for every 3.8 disposals while the Demons have done so every 7.6 disposals. This season the league average is a turnover every 5.5 disposals.
26:17
SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)
28:12
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
28:15
Since Fremantle last led by three points, Melbourne has kicked 5.1 (25) from six forward 50 entries. The Dockers have recorded the same number of inside 50s (six) in this period but have just managed two behinds.
31:13
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Lachie Neale)
31:18
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
31:28
Melbourne has recorded its highest-scoring term (44 points) against Fremantle since 2011, with seven goals to three. The Demons only turned the ball over 12 times from 101 disposals, compared to the Dockers with 19 turnovers in 77 disposals.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:28
David Mundy led the way for Fremantle in the centre and pushing forward. The midfielder has amassed 10 disposals, won a clearance, laid four tackles, taken the ball inside 50 on two occasions and kicked two crucial goals.
02:33
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
02:35
Although the Demons have gathered 25 more disposals than the Dockers, they have also managed to lay 14 extra tackles. Melbourne has reaped the rewards with six free kicks received for 'holding the ball', compared to just two for Fremantle.
04:46
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Nat Fyfe)
05:49
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (David Mundy)
06:08
David Mundy has kicked his third goal for just the second time in his 255-game career. Fremantle has started the half strongly with a kicking efficiency of 79 per cent compared to Melbourne's 64 per cent and four of the first six forward 50 entries.
09:35
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
12:40
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Lachie Neale)
12:53
Fremantle has improved both with and without possession this term. The Dockers have nine more tackles than the Demons this term after 12 fewer in the first half. Fremantle has also lifted its kicking efficiency from 66 per cent to 81 per cent.
16:11
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Harley Balic)
16:30
That's five in a row for the Dockers as they now hit the front via Harley Balic's first career goal. This quarter Fremantle has capitalised on repeat entries, with its fifth forward half intercept launching its second goal from this source.
18:27
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Michael Walters)
19:38
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rushed)
20:59
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Bradley Hill)
21:41
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Rushed)
22:19
The ball has been inside Fremantle's forward half for 78 per cent of the past 10 minutes. In this time the Dockers have recorded seven more disposals but three fewer turnovers and seven more forward 50 entries.
24:23
Lachie Neale has kicked a career-high fourth goal in a huge quarter for him and his side. The Fremantle midfielder has amassed six kicks (at 100 per cent efficiency) and four handballs, 173 metres gained, a clearance, four tackles and two goals.
25:52
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Hayden Crozier)
26:24
Fremantle has now kicked eight successive goals from Neale's shot on the half time siren. The Dockers have done much of the damage spreading from clearances, with only three extra clearances yet five goals to zero from that source in this period.
27:37
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jack Watts)
29:06
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Lachie Neale)
29:53
A huge turnaround following half time as Fremantle kicked seven goals to zero on the third term. The Dockers lifted their intensity with and without possession, with 16 extra disposals, 12 more tackles, 12 more inside 50s and four fewer turnovers.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:04
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Watts)
02:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Spencer)
03:16
After a goalless quarter, two goals in two minutes gives Melbourne some early hope. Both early goals have been launched through midfield clearance wins, while the Dockers have only managed just one disposal in that time.
10:18
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Stephen Hill)
10:56
Lachie Neale has had a big say in Fremantle's second-half push. He has been involved in the possession chain of seven of the Docker's 13 scores since they were 27 points down, including the steadier to Stephen Hill.
11:28
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)
14:17
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Cam McCarthy)
14:39
Melbourne has turned the tide from stoppages this term, with three more clearances than Fremantle. From the Demons' six clearance wins this term they have directly launched all three of their goals, including two from centre bounce clearances.
15:25
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Dom Tyson)
16:26
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
19:39
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Sam Weideman)
20:53
SCORE BEHIND - Dockers (Lachie Weller)
21:45
After ten goalless minutes by both teams, Melbourne has kicked its second goal for the day launched directly from a kick-in. In his 150th match Garlett has been excellent, with 14 disposals, eight tackles, eight score involvements include three goals.
21:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jeff Garlett)
22:50
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Brady Grey)
23:42
Another quick reply this term as Brady Grey goals following Sandiland's 46th hit out and Fyfe's third centre clearance. Both teams have won 13 centre clearances with the Dockers launching 19 points and the Demons launching 26 points.
24:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Salem)
25:52
In the third quarter the Demons were unable to transition the ball once into forward 50 from 19 attempts from defensive 50, however this term they have been able to do so three times from nine attempts, resulting in 2.1 (13).
27:19
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Viney)
28:56
Tom Bugg has had a large impact on the final term, with eight disposals, four clearances, three tackles, two forward 50 entries and two score launches.
29:27
SCORE GOAL - Dockers (Cam McCarthy)
31:51
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)
32:03
Clayton Oliver has hit double-digit clearance wins in a game for the first time in his 17-game career. In his first 16 games since his debut he has averaged 4.4 clearances per game, ranked third at Melbourne.
32:42
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
32:52
Fremantle has survived 11 lead changes, a 27-point deficit, and the evaporation of their own 22-point lead to hang on by two points. It is the first time the Dockers have kicked over 100 points since Round 12 last season against Brisbane.