Fremantle’s third quarter demolition of Melbourne, where they kicked eight goals to one, was arguably the best in the Club’s history, according to Fox Footy hosts Gerard Whateley and Mark Robinson.

They added that the quarter is set to be the most analysed in the AFL as Fremantle managed to do what no team had achieved in their past 17 games by ending the reigning premiers impressive winning run with a 38-point win at the MCG.

Whateley said Fremantle had blown the Premiership race open after demonstrating the league’s no.1 team was vulnerable.

“The occurrence was Saturday twilight, when Fremantle put Melbourne to the sword in a startling third quarter which I think will be the most scrutinised in footy to try to understand precisely what happened,” Whateley said.

“What a validation, endorsement and triumph of Justin Longmuir’s coaching and what Fremantle is building to do that at the MCG.”

Robinson said that period of football was the most impressive by a team in Fremantle colours, comparing it to Melbourne’s domination in last year’s finals series, where the Dees kicked 16 goals to three after half time in the 2021 Grand Final against the Western Bulldogs.

“That was the best quarter of football we’ve seen this year. Melbourne did that in finals last year a couple of times. It was unbelievable watching that,” Robinson said.

“It just proves that Melbourne can be beaten and psychologically, how important is that for every other team (knowing) that they can be beaten? They’ll look at what Fremantle did (including) Griffin Logue going forward.

“It’s the manner in which they played, for an absolute starting point against Melbourne you must meet them physically. If you don’t, you’re gone, and that’s what Fremantle did.

“It was so great to watch. It might go down as the best quarter I’ve seen Fremantle play. Under Ross Lyon, when they were a really strong Grand Final team, they weren’t kicking eight (in a quarter) against an unbeaten Melbourne at the MCG.

“You’ve got to look at the quality of the opposition. It was fantastic to watch.”

Robinson also praised Freo for their shrewd pickups of James Aish and Blake Acres from Collingwood and St Kilda respectively.

Acres was Fremantle's game winner against Geelong in round seven while Aish was instrumental in the win against Melbourne by limiting the impact of Clayton Oliver in the second half.

"They were two players, I think, when they left St Kilda and Collingwood, people were wondering where their footy would end up," Robinson said.

"Where it’s ended up is them playing really critical roles in a surging Fremantle Football Club. Good on them, they’re the great stories in football, when people think you’re in trouble, you stand up."

While Fremantle made a statement against Melbourne, they have to justify their position as a contender this Sunday against the second placed Brisbane at Optus Stadium.

“It’s sets up spectacularly when they play the Lions,” Whateley said.

“Now we look for our number one outright contender (to Melbourne).”

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