Fremantle coach Mark Harvey sympathised with the plight of counterpart Matthew Primus after crushing AFL stragglers Port Adelaide by 52 points on Saturday.

Harvey's Dockers dished out Primus' eighth loss in nine starts this season with a commanding 21.16 (142) to 14.6 (90) victory at AAMI Stadium.

Fremantle mauled a hapless Port early, streaking to a 10-goal lead midway through the second quarter. Game over.

Primus said every player let Port down in their listless opening, with the Dockers meeting meek resistance during a defining nine goal to nothing burst.

Ruckman Aaron Sandilands will have scans on an injured toe which forced him from the ground in the last quarter, but coach Harvey didn't think the injury serious.

Sandilands had already been instrumental as the Dockers entrenched themselves in the top eight with a fifth win of the year.

Harvey, content after the triumph, was mindful of Primus and Port's painful rebuilding course.

Primus axed Brett Ebert from his selected side - remarkably, the seventh Power player with more than 100 games experience dropped by the first-year coach.

Primus said he remained committed to rebuilding and Harvey, who engineered a similar regrowth at Fremantle, had no doubt the Port coach was correct.

"The challenge is that sometimes, whether you like it or not, you're going to get wiped off the park along the way," Harvey said.

"And I admire coaches that want to go through a development phase of the team, and club for that matter, and its supporters.

"And right now that is what Matthew is doing.

"It was only three or four years ago that I was in exactly the same position and he's doing the right thing by the club.

"It's going to be difficult at times but you must ride the wave and eventually see the light because it will happen, providing the recruiting and the strategy is right."

Fremantle were inspired by a best afield display by gifted Nathan Fyfe, who gathered 30 disposals and kicked two goals.

New Docker Nick Lower, in his first game against his former club, carved up his ex-teammates with 28 touches while forwards Chris Mayne (two goals) and Kepler Bradley (three goals) were constant threats.

After their woeful opening, the Power improved in the third term when sparked by classy Robbie Gray, who kicked three of six goals for the home side.

But they could never stymie Fremantle's free scoring, who matched that return and retained an unassailable 55-point advantage at the last change.

Gray, clearly Port's best, also created two other goals while onballers Travis Boak and Matthew Broadbent battled gamely against the swift Fremantle tide.

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