BOOKMAKERS refused to take bets at half-time believing the result such a formality they would not consider taking money for nothing from the gullible. That was before Melbourne staged the greatest comeback in the club's history, its 50-point halftime deficit the second-largest overcome by any club in AFL/VFL history.

TAB sportsbet's Gary Davies said it had closed the books at half-time with the result all but decided. Others were offering $95 late in the second term on a Melbourne win.

Notching its first win of the season was a champagne moment for Melbourne but one in need of sober consideration for the dour Demons coach Dean Bailey, who was as concerned with having trailed in the first place as he was pleased with the turnaround.

Were he a man of words he might have referred to it as a victory for the true believers, but that comment never did much for the man who uttered it either. As it was, Bailey praised the crowd of 19,423 for helping carry the comeback momentum.

"At half-time when you are what 50 points down? For the Melbourne people today to stick it out to see the end result was a real credit to them. I couldn't believe … what was there 20,000 here? It sounded like 70,000 in the last quarter. I know they helped us get over the line, there is no doubt about that," Bailey said.

The coach had stood quietly at the back of the change rooms with an amused expression on his face as the circle of players was surrounded by an even larger, raucous circle of trainers, officials, board members and chairman who loudly sang the club song.

"We still made mistakes in the first half," Bailey said. "To get that far behind was disappointing but it was the handball and the skill level that let us down," Bailey said. "The second half it was like we made a few mistakes but didn't make as many and they didn't cost us and our intensity and our tackling and our chasing came to the fore.

"We were able to get the ball in the forward line and we could actually find a target, but you can't win many games playing half a game of footy."

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey sat the blame for the horrific loss squarely at the feet of his players, who were unable to follow the lead of their captain Matthew Pavlich, who kicked five goals.

"Too often we have relied on the normal guys and today was again a classic example," Harvey said. "Regularly, Pavlich kicks five or six goals. When are we actually going to wake up and say, 'Who else is it going to be?' because Pavlich isn't going to be able to do that all the time."

Harvey later refused to concede the club's finals hopes were shattered, but promised to weed out players without the character to take the club forward.

Fremantle's players sat in silence with heads bowed after the match.

Tearful Dockers midfielder Ryan Crowley, who was outstanding in preventing Melbourne playmaker Nathan Jones from having any impact on the game with a career-low four possessions, admitted it had been one loss too many for a club that had forgotten how to win.

"I was pretty embarrassed walking off the field to tell you the truth and I actually got a bit emotional," Crowley said. "It was tough to face and we have to learn how to win games again."

with Steve Butler