An eight goal to three third quarter from Melbourne effectively ended any hopes of the undermanned Western Bulldogs taking home the four points in front of 30,305 fans on Saturday at the MCG.
It was a familiar tale for the Dogs , Hawthorn piling on seven goals in the third last week, and the Demons going one better this week to run out 50-point winners.
Up until Saturday, the Dogs had been outscored by 197 points third periods this season, and once the Melbourne midfield seized control of the game the Dogs had no answers.
A flying goal from stand-in skipper Jason Johannisen from just outside 50 in the dying stages of the first half would have filled Dogs fans with hope; the long-range bomb gifting his side a three-point lead going into the main break.
It had been an encouraging start Johannisen’s side, the Dogs controlling the clearances (+9), stoppages (+9), contested possessions (+15) and ending the first with a four-point lead.
But the Demons began to will their way back into it as the game wore on, while the Dogs were struggling with the last move inside 50, mostly due to Christian Salem pouncing on every errant kick and setting up a Demon counter.
Jack Macrae had 23 touches up to half time in his first game back from a hamstring injury until James Harmes put the clamps on, holding him to a still impressive 33 disposals for the game.
But the cracks that were beginning to show in the second quarter below well and truly open in the third as the Demons engine room found their spark, with Angus Brayshaw especially damaging off Max Gawn’s hands.
Melbourne would pile on seven unanswered goals in 12 minutes of football before Mitch Wallis kicked his second of three 21 minutes in to break the run, but it was too late, the Demons comfortable buffer having become an unassailable lead.
Lachie Hunter (35 disposals, five marks), Wallis (29 disposals, three goals) and Josh Dunkley (30 disposals, a career high) were among the Dogs best, while Macrae added seven marks, six clearances and eight tackles to his 33 touches.
The Bulldogs travel to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles next Sunday at Optus Stadium.
Western Bulldogs 4.1 6.6 9.9 10.9 (69)
Melbourne 3.4 6.9 14.9 18.11 (119)
Disposals: Hunter 35, Macrae 33, Dunkley 30, Wallis 29, Dahlhaus 23
Goals: Wallis 3, Schache, Johannisen 2, Lipinski, McLean, Hunter
Best: Hunter, Wallis, Dunkley, Macrae, Adams
