North Melbourne coach Brad Scott declared the "acid" was on himself and his players after watching the Kangaroos' 61-point AFL capitulation to Fremantle on Sunday.

The Dockers slammed through 10.4 in an inspired third quarter to cruise past the Kangaroos 21.13 (139) to 11.12 (78), consigning North Melbourne to their second straight thrashing after last week's 70-point loss to the Bulldogs.

Scott blasted the performance of his players but was quick to put the heat on himself after the Roos slipped one game and sizeable percentage adrift of the top eight.

"It's really disappointing for our supporters," Scott said.

"To sit there and watch that must be just heartbreaking.

"The players are shattered but we've got to stem this flow very quickly otherwise our season's going to get away from us.

"The acid's got to come back on the coaching staff and me as the head of that coaching staff and the 22 that are out there representing North Melbourne because at the moment it's extremely disappointing.

"We showed minimal fight throughout the whole game ... just far too much left to too few and the too few who it was left to are 20 years of age and younger.

"We need some guys to stand up and show some more fight than what they did today."

To add to North Melbourne's woes, skipper Brent Harvey is in doubt for Saturday's clash with Brisbane at Etihad Stadium after injuring his right elbow.

Harvey missed seven games last season when he dislocated his left elbow.

"He's a little bit sore," Scott said.

"We'll have the doctors have a good look at him and potentially get a scan."

The Dockers' eighth win of the season lifts them equal on points with ladder-leading Geelong and a game clear of Collingwood and St Kilda ahead of next Saturday's away match against Adelaide.

Fremantle have posted convincing wins over Sydney and North Melbourne since the Michael Johnson drug saga began.

Johnson, who pleaded guilty to cocaine possession, will return to training on Monday and Dockers coach Mark Harvey said the 25-year-old would address the player group to give closure to the matter.

"It will be interesting to see his response," Harvey said.

"Players go through different sorts of issues, particularly off field.

"The mental application of coming back and being a better player and person - I've seen happen a lot.

"Hopefully Michael's evidence of that in the near future.

"I'd like to think it (the issue) will be closed after he speaks to the group.

"Michael needs to concentrate on himself coming back, making sure he contributes to the team that has missed him over the last two weeks."

Fremantle boasted plenty of match-winners against the Roos despite Michael Barlow's late withdrawal with a minor hamstring complaint.

Kepler Bradley and Matthew Pavlich booted four goals each, Jay van Berlo kept Harvey to 10 possessions, and Nat Fyfe (27 disposals, three goals), David Mundy (31 possessions), Nick Suban, Antoni Grover and Paul Duffield were also influential.

Lindsay Thomas booted 5.5 for the Roos but their tall forwards barely fired a shot.

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