FREMANTLE has collected a ruthless 50-point win over Melbourne at Optus Stadium.
The Dockers made a statement in front of their home crowd with a 17.14 (116) to 10.6 (66) win that included periods of dominance for the second time this season, kicking their second highest score of the year.
The Demons were impacted by the absence of injured skipper Max Gawn and were punished at the coalface as the Dockers produced a stoppage clinic that formed the bedrock for their win, winning the clearances 47-15.
Their forwards feasted as a result, with Josh Treacy producing another dominant performance opposed to Steven May with three goals and 12 marks, while Michael Walters and Jye Amiss each kicked four goals.
It was perhaps the Dockers' rapid, clean ball movement and an ability to repeatedly get players free over the top of Melbourne's defence that stood out, however, with their pace and willingness to run impossible for the Demons to match.
Their lead stretched to 67 points during the final quarter before a run of three late goals for the Demons cut the margin to 50 points in a match that felt more one-sided than the scoreboard reflected at times.
Midfielder Jack Viney finally delivered a clearance for the Demons at the start of the second term and it led to the team's first goal, through wingman Caleb Windsor, before the game quickly settled back into a pattern of purple dominance.
The Dockers regularly worked the ball from inside to outside with handball chains and dominated field position, with Treacy outmarking Jake Lever in the goalsquare, Jackson converting a checkside set shot on the boundary, and Walters marking uncontested inside 50 as the lead built.
For all their dominance, however, skill errors crept in and created opportunities for the Demons to counter, with Jacob van Rooyen booting back-to-back goals and limiting the half-time margin to 30 points after Walters converted after the siren.
If inaccuracy and missed opportunities made Justin Longmuir feel uneasy at the main break, the coach could relax somewhat after another ruthless patch to start the third quarter as the Dockers kicked four quick goals through polished counter attacks.
Where its clearance dominance had been on show through the first half, now it was Freo's fast feet and overlap run that was exposing the Demons as the lead swelled to a game-high 53 points and any hope of a comeback was soon extinguished.
Melbourne fought hard through the remainder of the third and capitalised on a period of ascendency with three quick goals, but its only other run came in red time of the final term as the Dockers celebrated the Starlight Purple Haze game in style.
FREMANTLE 3.5 7.9 11.11 17.14 (116)
MELBOURNE 0.2 3.3 6.5 10.6 (66)
GOALS
Fremantle: Walters 4, Amiss 4, Treacy 3, Sturt 3, Serong, Jackson, Clark
Melbourne: van Rooyen 2, Chandler 2, Windsor, Turner, Petty, Melksham, Langdon, Billings
BEST
Fremantle: Brayshaw, Treacy, Serong, Darcy, Young, Walters, Clark
Melbourne: van Rooyen, May, McVee, Rivers
INJURIES
Fremantle: Pearce (arm)
Melbourne: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: James Aish (replaced Alex Pearce in the third quarter)
Melbourne: Jack Billings (replaced Koltyn Tholstrup in the third quarter)
Crowd: 42,215 at Optus Stadium
