They overcame a 19-point deficit at three-quarter time to win by 41-point against a spirited Giants outfit.
While the eulogies were being written for this era, and possibly for Mark Neeldy, Melbourne regrouped, attacked the game and kicked 12 goals to two in the final quarter.
Amazingly, it was highest scoring quarter in the club's history.
Colin Sylvia, Jeremy Howe, Michael Evans, Nathan Jones and Max Gawn stood up when needed and the rest followed.
A goal to Jones sparked the team into action and when all looked gone, Max Gawn took a mark in the goal-square and the Demons regained some belief. A piece of Colin Sylvia inspiration led to a goal by Michael Evans, which tied the score at the seven-minute mark.
The Giants, as they had all day, answered quickly through Toby Greene, but the Demons kept coming and young co-captain Jack Trengove put Melbourne back in front at the 12-minute mark.
Jeremy Howe followed up with one from the boundary line to give his team some breathing space as it had kicked five goals in the first 14 minutes of the quarter. Then two goals from Aaron Davey – who had been the substitute – put the result beyond doubt.
The fright for Demons was real and long lasting early once the Giants kicked five unanswered goals during the latter part of the second quarter to take a seven-point lead into half-time.
With the Demons appalling record in third quarters, no-one at the ground had much confidence Melbourne could turn things around. Again they were outscored in the third quarter five goals to three and trailed by 19 points at three-quarter time.
The Giants' young runners Adam Treloar, Dylan Shiel and Stephen Coniglio were too quick in the first half while Tom Scully and Callan Ward outworked their opponents.
Whatever Mark Neeld said to his Demons at three-quarter time sparked something special. He went to the huddle under enormous pressure with his coaching obituaries being written and the critics forming a conga line around the members' wing.
The Giants were gallant given they had lost Jonathan Patton and Dean Brogan but they ran out of legs in the end.
MELBOURNE 4.5 7.7 10.10 22.12 (144)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 3.3 8.8 13.11 15.13 (103)
GOALS
Melbourne: Howe 4, Byrnes 3, Evans 3, Pedersen 2, Gawn 2, Davey 2, Sylvia, Bail, N Jones, Trengove, Clark, Jamar
Greater Western Sydney: O'hAilpin 5, Palmer 2, Cameron, Treloar, Shiel, Giles, Ward, Scully, Shiel, Sumner
BEST
Melbourne: N. Jones, Gawn, Grimes, Howe, Garland, Evans, Terlich, Trengove
Greater Western Sydney: Scully, Shiel, Treloar, Whitfield, O'hAilpin, Greene, Ward
INJURIES
Melbourne: TBC
Greater Western Sydney: TBC
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Aaron Davey replaced Jack Viney in the third quarter
Greater Western Sydney: Anthony Miles replaced Nick Haynes at three-quarter time
REPORTS
Neville Jetta (Melbourne) reported for engaging in rough conduct on Lachie Whitfield (Greater Western Sydney
Umpires: Bannister, Margetts, Harris
Official crowd: 20,018 at the MCG
