Demons eclipse Suns
Melbourne has chalked up its third win of the season with a 42-point victory over Gold Coast
MELBOURNE has scored its third win of the season with a 42-point win over Gold Coast in a scrappy contest at the MCG.
The Demons kicked 16.12 (108) to 9.12 (66) in what was far from the most important game of the round, but after a week in which tanking allegations re-surfaced and a day after Greater Western Sydney scored its second win, there were many curious sets of eyes on this game.
The Demons were favourites, but not without some doubts about their ability to knock off the inexperienced Suns.
Those doubts grew pre-game when Melbourne's no. 1 tagger Jordie McKenzie was a late withdrawal, seemingly paving the way for Gold Coast's Gary Ablett to have a day out.
Cale Morton, who is playing for his career as the 2012 season draws to a close, was given the job tagging the competition's premier midfielder.
He toiled hard but didn't have the class of the Brownlow medalist and his day came to an early end when he injured his shoulder in a contest in the second quarter.
James Magner was his replacement and did a good job making life hard for Ablett with the Suns' star's frustrations boiling over in the third quarter.
Ablett was impressive early but faded a tad when faced with Magner. It was a rare occasion that Ablett wasn't his team's best player - that honour going to Harley Bennell.
Bennell furthered his claims as one of the competition's most exciting young prospects with 38 disposals and four goals.
Melbourne was the dominant team all day, but Gold Coast did have its time in the sun with two purple patches of three consecutive goals in the second and fourth quarters.
But as the scoreboard ticked over, so too did the injury count.
Dion Prestia was substituted off with a leg injury at quarter-time and was soon followed by ruckman Zac Smith, while Michael Rischitelli was anchored to the goal square as a knee injury prevented him from playing up the ground.
Rischitelli's knee only deteriorated as the game wore on and the Suns may have been better off benching him and losing a rotation.
Luke Russell and Karmichael Hunt took the last two spots in the casualty ward with injuries to their upper bodies.
Colin Sylvia and Brad Green have had a hard time winning over coach Mark Neeld this season, but they played their best games of the season.
Sylvia had 24 touches playing out of the middle to continue his solid form over the past month, while Green booted an equal career-best five goals, celebrating each with far more enthusiasm than a game in August between 16th and 18th might warrant.
A spectacular high mark and goal after the siren to Jeremy Howe capped off a rare victory for the Demons.
MELBOURNE 6.6 10.7 13.8 16.12 (108)
GOLD COAST 0.2 4.5 5.9 9.12 (66)
GOALS
Melbourne: Green 5, Sylvia 2, Blease 2, Spencer, Trengove, Tapscott, Sellar, Rivers, Bail, Howe
Gold Coast: Bennell 4, Ablett, Rischitelli, Brennan, Russell, Lynch
BEST
Melbourne: Sylvia, Jones, Trengove, McDonald, Grimes, Spencer, Green, Dunn
Gold Coast: Bennell, Ablett, Shaw, Swallow, Patrick
INJURIES
Melbourne: Jordie McKenzie (knee) was a late withdrawal. Morton (shoulder)?
Gold Coast: Danny Stanley was a late withdrawal. Prestia (ankle), Smith (ankle), Hunt (shoulder)
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Cale Morton replaced by James Magner in the third quarter
Gold Coast: Dion Prestia replaced by Liam Patrick at quarter-time.
Reports: Nil
Umpires: H.Ryan, Schmitt, B.Ryan
Official crowd: 18,097 at MCG