If the loss to Sydney was a reality check, and losses to Collingwood and Gold Coast were evidence that the Dockers are yet to master wet-weather football, Melbourne’s commanding victory over on Friday night reeked of two teams finding their level.

Keen to re-assert themselves as a premiership favourite, the Dees were ruthless from the get-go and dominant throughout in a 12.13 (85) to 5.9 (39) romp.

And Fremantle are not a flag contender. Not this year at least - and not ever until they fix their forward line.

That much was evident well before the rain came and Fremantle gave us further evidence that they don’t know how to play in it.

Led by Jack Viney, the Demons were harder from the start, established a three-goal buffer in no time and then built the scoreboard throughout the game.

The Dockers were out-muscled at the start, timid with the ball even when they broke even in the contest, then powerless in attack when they finally got a toehold in the territory battle. Matt Taberner went to three-quarter time with one disposal, Lachie Schultz six, Travis Colyer three and Rory Lobb seven.

Of Fremantle’s five goals, four were kicked by small forwards Michael Frederick and Michael Walters. The other was crumbed by Griffin Logue as Melbourne’s Steven May, Jake Lever and Harrison Petty ruled the air.

David Mundy (36), Will Brodie (35) and Andrew Brayshaw (30) had big numbers but James Aish was Fremantle’s best with 28 disposals and a stop job on Clayton Oliver. Hayden Young was good in defence but the Dockers tailed off after that.

Meanwhile Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca and Ed Langdon gave Viney great support, Kysiah Pickett and Bayley Fritsch kicked three goals each, feasting on a 60-40 inside-50 edge, and the Demons had a spread of contributors while the Dockers were spread thin.

Ruthless v toothless at the start

The catchcry Melbourne had used coming into this match was that they wanted to regain their ruthless edge. In contrast, Fremantle were toothless in the opening 15 minutes.

That was long enough for Melbourne to establish serious heat around the contest, an early 26-14 edge in contested possession and a 21-point lead on the scoreboard. Fremantle evened the contest out after that and got two goals back, but the Dees still looked dangerous with Fritsch remembering this was the ground on which he kicked six in a grand final.

Predictably the contest beasts were prominent. Viney had 12 for Melbourne, Brodie 11 for Fremantle with Petracca, and both Brayshaws prominent. Clearly the Dockers had opted for more of the same from their round 11 win over the Dees with Aish going to Oliver and Logue forward. The Dees went for something different with Brayshaw and Luke Jackson starting in the midfield.

Timid with the ball

The Dockers improved around the contest after the early Melbourne surge but their problem in the second term was that they were way too safe when they won the ball.

It didn’t help that a few of their forwards didn’t compete very strongly when the ball did get forward. But the Dockers were scared out of shifting the ball back into the corridor and long kicks down the line were getting feasted on by the Dees defence.

The territory battle at half time was a 36-16 hammering. Christian Salem (12 disposals, May and Michael Hibberd (nine each) all had good first halves with Hibberd often getting in Logue’s way as he tried to play a defensive role on May.

Their edge over the Fremantle forwards meant Melbourne’s mids were able to get more aggressive. Langdon pushed forward hard on his wing and kicked a goal. At Fremantle’s end it took a piece of Walters opportunism to keep Fremantle remotely in touch at half time.

Dockers butcher their last chance

Fremantle needed to narrow the 27-point half-time margin to something inside 20 points at the last change. Thanks to inept finishing at one end and clinical finishing at the other, the lead blew out to 42 and the game was all but over.

Fremantle halved the territory battle and earned themselves good looks at goal. But Schultz missed form 25 metres out directly in front, Logue tried to go around the corner from 25 and looked every inch a full-back as he kicked it into Petty’s hands on the mark. Brodie missed everything from the forward pocket. David Mundy registered his third out of bounds on the full from the other side.

At the other end Fritsch nailed his set shot from fifty metres and Charlie Spargo nailed his left footer from the boundary line after an accidental out on the full from Jordan Clark. The Dockers continued to try and be too safe with the ball in their hands and Melbourne continued to pick them off.