First quarter: Western Bulldogs 5.4 (34) to Melbourne 2.2 (14)
Melbourne got off to the perfect start when Jack Viney kicked truly.
But the Dogs answered with three in a row to claim a 15-point lead.
Christian Petracca landed Melbourne’s second for the term, however when the Dogs landed the next two, they were out to a 21-point lead at quarter-time.
That margin could’ve been greater had Jack Redpath, who booted two for the term, not hit the post after the siren.
Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince and Viney had eight touches each in the first term.
Second quarter: Western Bulldogs 8.9 (57) to Melbourne 5.5 (35)
The Bulldogs extended their lead to 28 points when Jake Stringer booted his second goal to start the term.
But Melbourne hit back with three of the next four goals to reel the deficit back to 15 points.
Ben Kennedy kicked two for the red and blue and Jeff Garlett landed his first.
Redpath again bobbed up and when he kicked his third, the Bulldogs led by 22 points at half-time.
Dom Tyson had 17 touches for Melbourne by the main break.
Third quarter: Western Bulldogs 12.10 (82) to Melbourne 7.9 (51)
Goals were hard to come by in the first 20 minutes of the second half, although the Bulldogs managed two in two minutes – via Tom Liberatore and Mitch Wallis – to open the third term.
The Bulldogs led by 32 points, but Melbourne could’ve reduced the deficit had Garlett and Jesse Hogan not missed opportunities.
When the quarter entered time-on, the tempo lifted with four goals registered.
Bulldog Bailey Dale made it four in a row for the Dogs – from the 22-minute mark of the second quarter until the 21-minute mark of the third term – giving them a 36-point lead.
Melbourne finally opened its account at the 23-minute mark, courtesy of Jack Watts, and when Clayton Oliver landed its second for the quarter, the margin was 31 points at three quarter-time.
Final quarter: Western Bulldogs 17.12 (114) d Melbourne 12.10 (82)
Jake Stringer booted his third goal to open the final term and when Tory Dickson added his second, the Dogs had jumped out to a 45-point lead.
Like the third quarter, Watts kicked Melbourne’s first for the term and in the process, notched up his second major. Tom McDonald then followed up with his first goal of the season.
And when Hogan slotted through his first, and made it three in a row for Melbourne, the margin was cut back to 27 points at the 17-minute mark.
Although Watts and Garlett added goals in time-on, Melbourne’s slight glimmer of hope ended when Stringer landed two more goals to finish with five for the match.
In the end, in front of a crowd of 39,921, the Bulldogs won by 32 points.
