Don’t blame the coach: Frawley
Leader James Frawley fronted the post-match media conference with coach Mark Neeld and was adamant to point out one thing – the loss was entirely the players’ doing – not the coach. “It’s not his fault,” Frawley said about Neeld. “We’re all behind him. [The] players didn’t play our roles and that’s what happens and he gets put under scrutiny for it.” Frawley added that Ross Lyon-led teams were always tough to play against. “Their pressure is always good,” he said about the Fremantle coach.

Howe holds his head high
Jeremy Howe was one Demon who stood tall on a tough day. He was literally everywhere. He played up forward, pushed through the midfield, went behind the ball and was somewhat of a full-back/goalkeeper at one stage when the bleeding needed to dry. Howe claimed a career best 27 disposals and booted two of Melbourne’s six goals. He also took 11 marks, had four inside 50s and three rebound 50s.

Dees break third quarter drought
Although the damage had been done by half time – Melbourne trailed by 71 points at the main change – it at least showed some fight immediately after the break, winning the third quarter 3.1 to 2.4. It was also the first time Melbourne has won a third term in 2013, and just the sixth time it has had the edge in a quarter this year. 

Hoodoo continues in the west
Melbourne’s poor record at Patersons Stadium continued yet again. It has now lost its past 14 matches at the venue, having won its most recent match against Fremantle in round 11, 2004. Yet from round eight, 1989 to that win in 2004, Melbourne won just a touch more than 50 per cent of its matches at Subiaco, winning eight from 16. It will be a significant moment when that hoodoo is broken. For the record, Fremantle’s 90-point win was its biggest over the Demons. It was also Melbourne’s equal lowest score against Freo.

And now for the top of the table Hawks   
On the back of its road trip to Perth, the tasks don’t let up for the Demons as they now prepare to take on ladder leader Hawthorn next Sunday at the MCG. Coach Mark Neeld said his team must “embrace the challenge”. “Hawthorn has been a successful and strong football club for a number of seasons, and it gives us another opportunity,” he said. “We’ll go out there and approach the Hawthorn game similar to what we did after half time here. We’ll embrace the challenge. We know that we’ve got some things to work on and some things to develop, but it’s another 120 minutes of AFL footy to have a crack at.”