MELBOURNE has catapulted back into the AFL's top four after steamrolling a hapless Gold Coast by 96 points in an all-important percentage-boosting victory at the MCG on Sunday.
With crunch games to come against Sydney (round 21), West Coast (round 22) and Greater Western Sydney (round 23), a win of that magnitude was timely as the Demons strive to lock in a finals berth and potentially a spot in the top four.
The margin could have been greater had the Demons capitalised on their opportunities more effectively. Still, the 21.17 (143) to 7.5 (47) win was as comprehensive as they come over a Gold Coast team missing Tom Lynch, David Swallow, Steven May, Rory Thompson and Jack Martin among others.
Melbourne produced the highest-scoring opening quarter of any team this season – and its fourth-highest first term ever – as it slammed home nine goals to the Suns' one to take a 51-point lead at the first change.
Star midfielder Clayton Oliver continued his stellar season with another prolific display through the midfield and underlined his versatility in stints as Melbourne's deepest forward early in the game.
Oliver emphasised his class by gathering 11 disposals and kicking two goals in the first quarter alone, before finishing with a game-high 31 disposals and six marks inside 50 for the game.
Angus Brayshaw, who has taken his game to a new level this season, played with confidence and a zest for the contest on his way to 27 disposals and a match-high eight clearances and 10 tackles.
Playing against a Gold Coast team that was fielding four teenagers, Melbourne's ability to win the ball in tight (166-119) and spread away from the contest (263-180) was the difference between the sides.
"I was most pleased with our start – it was an area we wanted to be really strong at today," coach Simon Goodwin said post-game.
"We had a big focus on sticking to the basics and doing our fundamentals well and I thought we established that really early on."
Christian Salem won plenty of the ball in the back half (26 disposals at 92.3 per cent efficiency) and distributed the footy with poise, while Jesse Hogan (four goals), James Harmes (three), Charlie Spargo (two), Alex Neal-Bullen (two), Nathan Jones (two), Christian Petracca (two) and Jeff Garlett (two) all filled their boots.
On a sour note, Demons defender Joel Smith suffered a broken right collarbone when his right arm was driven into the MCG turf in a tackle in the fourth quarter.
Already without Jake Lever (knee) for the rest of 2018, the potential for Smith to be sidelined for up to five weeks will place great strain on Melbourne's defensive stocks leading into finals.
In a week where Suns captain Lynch announced to the club and his teammates that he would be leaving to return to Victoria next season, losing key forward Peter Wright to a knee injury in the first two minutes of the game was a cruel way to start for coach Stuart Dew and his young side.
Dew would have been concerned with the state of play at quarter-time, but despite being heavily undermanned, the first-year coach would have at least been pleased with his team's ability to compete after the first term.
"We're a young side, we had 10 or 11 under 21 years of age," Dew said.
"A 51-point margin at quarter-time ... we're staring down the barrel, but I actually thought we boxed on in the second and third, and in the last, I think being down one for the whole game probably bit us.
"It's an experience against a team that's going to the finals and I think we can take a lot out of it, but it's a disappointing day."
Alex Sexton played a lone hand through the midfield and up forward, booting five of the Suns' six goals, while Jack Bowes was forced to play on taller opponents but held his own in defence.
Touk Miller (25 disposals), Will Brodie (23) and Brayden Fiorini (14 and 10 tackles) were other Suns players who could hold their heads high.
Demon Bayley Fritsch had the chance to send the margin beyond 100 points with a set shot after the siren but his kick faded to the left much to the mock chagrin of eager Melbourne supporters who were baying for blood.
MEDICAL ROOM
Melbourne: Co-captain Nathan Jones was sporting a sizeable shiner under his left eye as a result of a collision with Gold Coast's Alex Sexton. Joel Smith was in a lot of pain when his right shoulder was driven into the deck in a tackle in the fourth quarter. Smith is set to miss up to five weeks with a broken collarbone.
Gold Coast: Peter Wright tweaked his left knee in a marking contest in the opening minute of the game. The key forward was on crutches as he came back and sat on the bench. Dew said after the game that the injury was a likely medial ligament strain with the key forward to have scans during the week.
NEXT UP
The Demons have a key match-up against Sydney at the MCG next Sunday which looms as significant in their hopes of a finals berth. The Suns will face the top-of-the-table Richmond at Metricon Stadium next Saturday.
MELBOURNE 9.3 14.6 16.12 21.17 (143)
GOLD COAST 1.0 4.2 5.4 7.5 (47)
GOALS
Melbourne: Hogan 4, Harmes 3, Spargo 2, Oliver 2, Garlett 2, Neal-Bullen 2, Jones 2, Petracca 2, Salem, Brayshaw
Gold Coast: Sexton 5, Holman, Rischitelli
BEST
Melbourne: Oliver, Brayshaw, Hogan, Salem, Garlett, Harmes
Gold Coast: Sexton, Bowes, Harbrow, Weller, Fiorini
INJURIES
Melbourne: Smith (shoulder)
Gold Coast: Wright (knee)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Foot, Schmitt, Hay
Official crowd: 23,072 at the MCG
