1. A costly win
Fremantle won its fifth straight game but lost star forwards Michael Walters and Matthew Pavlich to concussion. Walters was left stunned on the MCG turf after ramming his head into the body of Melbourne defender Lynden Dunn in the opening term. He did not pass his concussion test and was then substituted out of the game for good in the second term. There was more carnage in the second quarter, with Pavlich coming off second best in a clash of heads with Demons defender Colin Garland. The Dockers skipper joined Walters on the interchange bench after half-time and took no further part in Sunday's game.
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2. The Mayne man steps up
With Pavlich ruled out of the game in the second half, the Dockers had to find another focal point up forward. That came in the form of Chris Mayne, who stepped up to lead the Dockers' attack. Mayne did not stop presenting up at the ball carrier and was rewarded with four goals. His forward pressure, which has become a staple of his 133-game career, was also a feature of his game. Mayne laid 12 tackles and competed ferociously every time he went near the ball. His third term, in particular, was superb as he took four marks and set the tone for his team to carry on with the job after the loss of two of their most dangerous forwards.
3. Grimes bounces back
This year has been quite a fall from grace for Jack Grimes. Co-captain from 2012-2014, the defender had been relegated to playing for Casey in the VFL at the start of 2015. But with Neville Jetta on the sidelines with concussion, a spot for Grimes opened up in defence and he made sure he grabbed his opportunity with both hands against the Dockers. He may not have won much of the ball, but he achieved his primary role of stopping Hayden Ballantyne, who was raring to go after a two-week suspension. Grimes did not give Ballantyne any leeway, limiting the goal sneak to just nine touches and no goals.
4. Brayshaw building nicely
Melbourne would be ecstatic with the progress of young midfielder Angus Brayshaw, who keeps getting better with each game he plays. The No.3 pick from the 2014 NAB AFL Draft has shown his worth in patches after making his debut in round one. But it was his impact throughout the game that was most impressive against Fremantle. The 19-year-old kept pushing himself to each contest and laid strong pressure around the ball (four tackles). He finished with 16 disposals and again displayed the competitive spirit that has characterised the start to his promising career.
5. McPharlin far from a spent force
There was some doubt over whether Dockers defender Luke McPharlin would play on in 2015 after an injury-ravaged 2014 campaign. But it's very clear after five rounds that the smart defender has made the right decision to keep going. The 33-year-old continues to perform against some of the AFL's best forwards. On Sunday, he kept emerging Demons forward Jesse Hogan to just one goal and zero contested marks. Coach Ross Lyon said earlier in the week that any consideration for resting his star defender will be made in the second half of the year. Having McPharlin cherry ripe coming into the business end of the season will be crucial if the Dockers are to underline their premiership credentials.
