MELBOURNE made it three straight wins with a runaway 69-point victory on a grim Saturday evening at the Gabba for hapless Gold Coast.
The Demons huffed and puffed for three quarters and eventually blew the doors off the Suns' house with an eight-goal final term, winning 21.20 (146) to 11.11 (77).
Tom McDonald continued his rich vein of form since returning from a foot injury, kicking five goals, while young midfielder James Harmes chipped in with a career-high 33 disposals.
On a night when they equalled the AFL record for most inside 50s with 83, Melbourne could have, and possibly should have, won by more, such was their dominance.
Coach Simon Goodwin said he was thrilled his team ran the game out so strongly.
"I didn't know that it was a record (for inside 50s), but it's pleasing that we want to play a forward half game," Goodwin said.
"That's something we've worked on all summer and something we want to keep on doing. To have that many is a lot.
"We kept going for the whole game and that was something we've been working on for a few weeks."
Gold Coast have now lost five of its past six matches, and ahead of the long trip to play Port Adelaide in Shanghai next Saturday are starting to look tired from two months of travel.
On a rotten day for the club, its NEAFL team failed to kick a goal in its match against Brisbane.
"We can’t find excuses, but there’s no doubt we fell in a hole tonight," Suns coach Stuart Dew said.
"I think we’ve made some steps in the way we’ve played but that didn’t even serve us well tonight.
"We’d love to fight it out, and we really pushed our guys to try and do that, but it was too much in the end."
Nothing should be taken away from the Demons, who apart from five minutes in the second quarter and another five in the third, blanketed their opposition and did not relent.
Mitch Hannan and Jesse Hogan kicked three goals apiece – the latter's all in a rampant last term – while livewire Charlie Spargo added two, as did the returning Christian Salem.
Max Gawn had the best of his duel with Jarrod Witts, feeding a hungry midfield led by Harmes, Clayton Oliver (29 disposals and 11 clearances), Nathan Jones (25) and Angus Brayshaw (24).
Melbourne has now beaten Essendon, St Kilda and Gold Coast in successive weeks ahead of a date with Carlton next Sunday.
For the Suns, Jack Martin (19 disposals and four goals) played almost a lone hand on a night when David Swallow (knee) did not return for the final quarter and captain Steven May made contact with an umpire, although it appeared to be inadvertent.
After getting within 18 points of the Demons at the 22-minute mark of the third quarter, Gold Coast hardly gave a yelp.
It continued a disturbing trend for Stuart Dew's men, who have won just one final term this season and averaged 13 points.
MEDICAL ROOM
Gold Coast: Midfield bull David Swallow sat out the final quarter with a knee injury. Coach Stuart Dew said post-match it was a precautionary measure, and with the game out of reach, thought there was no point risking his vice-captain. He is expected to be fine to play next week.
Melbourne: No concerns at all for the Demons. Co-captain Jack Viney will play in the VFL on Sunday and if he gets through, Goodwin said he would play seniors next week.
NEXT UP
Melbourne has won three straight and have a great chance to make it four when it plays Carlton at the MCG next Sunday. Gold Coast has now lost three straight and heads to Shanghai in China to play Port Adelaide next Saturday afternoon.
GOLD COAST 3.5 5.7 9.9 11.11 (77)
MELBOURNE 4.5 8.11 13.17 21.20 (146)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Martin 4, Day 2, Young, May, Sexton, Holman, Hall
Melbourne: T.McDonald 5, Hannan 3, Hogan 3, Neal-Bullen 2, Spargo 2, Salem 2, Gawn, Hibberd, Brayshaw, Melksham
BEST
Gold Coast: Martin, Miller, May, Hall
Melbourne: T.McDonald, Harmes, Oliver, Gawn, Salem, Brayshaw
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Swallow (knee)
Melbourne:
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Brown, Schmitt, Harris
Official crowd: 6060 at the Gabba
