FREMANTLE'S Luke McPharlin called Sunday's 63-point loss to Melbourne "a debacle" and says the players are embarrassed by their performance.

Just seven days after the Dockers outworked Port Adelaide for their fifth win of the season, Mark Harvey's men were thumped at the MCG.

McPharlin, who will play his 150th game this weekend, tried to keep Fremantle's loss in perspective and said the side was still heading in the right direction. But he admitted the players were bitterly disappointed. 

"We can't hide from the fact it was an embarrassing performance, to lose to a side that we should have beaten really over there with our current run of form," McPharlin, 27, said from Fremantle Oval on Monday.

"Yesterday was a debacle, there's no doubt about that, and we were certainly very disappointed with the result.

"We certainly went over there with confidence, particularly with our last three weeks of pretty solid form (but) the dynamic in the team wasn't there yesterday.

"It just shows how important everyone in the team is, and when a couple of efforts aren't up to par the rest of us fall by the wayside."

McPharlin said Fremantle was never going to be a class side this season, and, when you debut 10 first-year players, ups and downs come with the territory.

But with a 1-8 record on the road in 2009, he said the players needed to find consistency and form away from Subiaco Oval.

"It's a struggle for every AFL team, but particularly us playing so many games away form Perth," he said. "We need to get our heads around performing on the road."

McPharlin said the players would need to rebound quickly, but he had no doubt they could against giant-killers Essendon. 

"We've had some poor games and then come out the following week and been tremendous," he said. 

"We’ve certainly had some good form, particularly at home. 

"I think that'll be our focus this week, that we can bounce back in form. But it's more about looking into the future and finding some more consistency."

McPharlin said he could still experience a premiership with Fremantle, the club he has played 137 games for since crossing form Hawthorn in 2001.  

"I'd like to think that players such as myself or around the same age – (Matthew) Pavlich, (Aaron) Sandilands – would be able to experience some success in the coming years provided we're able to put it together on the field," he said.

"I think that there are a lot of things moving in the right direction, and we need to keep that in perspective."