First quarter: Carlton 4.3 (27) to Melbourne 1.2 (8)
Carlton took control in the opening term, with seven scoring shots to three.
The Blues booted the first three goals to lead by 18 points at the 16-minute mark.
It took 21 minutes before Melbourne opened its account via Josh Wagner, who registered his first AFL goal.
But when Matthew Kreuzer landed Carlton’s fourth, the Blues led by 19 points at the first break.
Clayton Oliver had 14 disposals by quarter-time.
Second quarter: Carlton 7.5 (47) to Melbourne 7.4 (46)
The Demons needed to be quick out of the blocks after quarter-time – and they were, when Tom McDonald snapped a goal from the boundary in the opening minute.
By the 10-minute mark, the deficit was cut to one-point on the back of Wagner’s second goal and Alex Neal-Bullen’s neat roving.
But the Blues responded with three of the next four goals.
After two months on the sidelines, Jesse Hogan hit the scoreboard late in the term, before T.McDonald kicked truly after the siren to bring the margin back to one-point at the main break.
Carlton's Patrick Cripps and Simon White both limped down the race during the quarter, and took no further part in the match.
Third quarter: Melbourne 11.5 (71) to Carlton 9.8 (62)
The third term became a see-sawing encounter.
Melbourne hit the front for the first time when T.McDonald notched up his third within the opening minute.
And when Garlett followed up with his second, the Demons extended their lead to 11 points.
Carlton answered though, when Matthew Wright bobbed up with his second and Carlton skipper Marc Murphy kicked his first, putting the Blues back in front by a point.
But when Neal-Bullen dribbled through his second and T.McDonald slotted his fourth at the 26-minute mark, Melbourne was up by nine points at the final change.
Final quarter: Melbourne 14.6 (90) d Carlton 12.10 (82)
Just 90 seconds elapsed into the final term before Sam Petrevski-Seton produced some magic from the pocket to bring the Blues within three points.
Jack Silvagni booted his third and Murphy added a second within a minute, to see Carlton open up a nine-point lead by the seven-minute mark.
After Garlett kicked his third against his old side, a goalless 12-minute period was fought out before Jake Melksham got the Demons back in front by two points.
When Neal-Bullen marked inside 50 in the final minute, he took 30 seconds off the clock before chipping the ball to Jordan Lewis to seal the game.
As the final siren sounded, Lewis kicked a goal to hand the Demons an eight-point victory.
