The Eagles dominated from the get-go when Mark LeCras kicked the first goal of the match.
It was the first of five in succession for West Coast, before Melbourne finally got on the board via a tumbling long bomb from Bernie Vince, playing his 150th AFL match.
But when Darling answered with his third, the Eagles were up by 30 points at quarter-time.
Second quarter: West Coast Eagles 9.5 (59) to Melbourne 3.3 (21)
West Coast continued its dominance early in the second term when it kicked the first three goals to lead by 47 points.
The Demons added their first for the term – and their second for the match – at the 15-minute mark, when Jack Fitzpatrick kicked a fine checkside goal under pressure.
Goals dried up in the latter part of the term, but when Fitzpatrick snapped his second – a beauty under pressure – the Demons had cut the deficit to 38 points.
Third quarter: West Coast Eagles 16.9 (105) to Melbourne 5.4 (34)
Although Melbourne produced a far better display in the second term – it lost the second quarter by eight points – the Demons once again struggled after the main break.
West Coast booted seven goals to two in the third term, claiming a 71-point lead at the final break.
Melbourne’s only goalkickers for the term were Rohan Bail and Jeremy Howe.
Final quarter: West Coast Eagles 18.11 (119) d Melbourne 8.5 (53)
With the game all but over entering the final term, the Demons at least showed some fight, winning the quarter: 3.1 to 2.2.
Melbourne booted the first two goals via Cam Pedersen and Chris Dawes, with Dom Tyson booting one midway through the quarter.
But it mattered little in the end, as West Coast still won comprehensively by 66 points.
