SKIPPER Max Gawn has led from the front as Melbourne stormed home with an 83-point thrashing of struggling West Coast.
Six days after their horror final-quarter capitulation to St Kilda piled pressure on coach Simon Goodwin, the Demons made light work of the battling Eagles.
Melbourne took the upper hand early before blasting away with a 10-goal third quarter to claim a 21.13 (139) to 8.8 (56) win at Marvel Stadium.
Gawn (21 disposals, 29 hitouts, 14 contested possessions, eight marks) set the tone around the ball as Melbourne's midfield smashed West Coast's onball division, which was without Harley Reid (ankle).
The Demons won clearances (40-30), contested possessions (145-103) and inside 50s (58-45) with ease.
Vice-captain Jack Viney (25 disposals, 13 clearances, 20 contested possessions) played his 234th AFL game, surpassing father and club great Todd, and was typically brutal in the midfield.
He had support from Clayton Oliver (28 touches) and Christian Salem (30 disposals), while Kysaiah Pickett's class (26 disposals) shone through.
Bayley Fritsch kicked four goals while Harrison Petty (three), Harvey Langford (three), Jacob van Rooyen (two) and former Eagle Jai Culley (two) chipped in.
Ryan Maric (29 disposals) was a rare shining light while Jamie Cripps kicked two goals.
The Demons were dominant early but only booted three goals, before Maric got West Coast's first from back-to-back 50-metre penalties late in the first term.
Melbourne led by 15 at quarter-time, then 22 at the main break.
Eagle Liam Ryan had a nasty head clash with Trent Rivers and had to come off for treatment on a gash, but returned to play with a bandaged head.
The Eagles traded goals with the Dees early in the third quarter, but Melbourne consistently threatened to break the game open and did so in the back half of the term.
When Gawn marked and nudged the Demons out to a 50-point lead late in the third, to the delight of the home fans, the job was done.
With a 63-point buffer at three-quarter time, Melbourne kicked away in the last.
Next Sunday, the Demons play the finals-chasing Western Bulldogs at the MCG, while West Coast faces high-flying Adelaide.
Special moments for former Eagle
Saturday marked a first game in Melbourne colours for Jai Culley, who was delisted by the Eagles at the end of last year. The 22-year-old was a good contributor and kicked his first goal for the Demons after a nice mark. But in his 13th AFL game, Saturday was also the first AFL win in which Culley has played. He finished with 13 disposals, seven marks and two majors.
MELBOURNE 3.5 6.7 16.9 21.13 (139)
WEST COAST 1.2 3.3 6.6 8.8 (56)
GOALS
Melbourne: Fritsch 4, Petty 3, Langford 3, van Rooyen 2, Culley 2, Viney, Rivers, Petracca, Melksham, Langdon, Gawn, Chandler
West Coast: Cripps 2, Shanahan, Ryan, Reid, Maric, Chesser, Brockman
BEST
Melbourne: Gawn, Viney, Pickett, Petracca, Oliver, Fritsch
West Coast: Maric, McCarthy, Kelly, Ginbey, Cole
INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
West Coast: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Harry Sharp (replaced Jake Melksham in the fourth quarter)
West Coast: Hamish Davis (replaced Tyrell Dewar in the fourth quarter)
Crowd: TBC at Marvel Stadium
