A premiership contender as soon as once more proved they’re a workforce to beat in 2023 as they made gentle work in opposition to a backside of the desk workforce.
The Demons locked horns with the West Coast Eagles, with Melbourne making gentle work of the competition as they ran away to assert a 63-point victory.
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After a dismal finals show in 2022, the Demons have bounced again emphatically within the opening month of the season.
A loss within the second spherical to the Brisbane Lions has been the one blight on the season for the membership who sit third on the ladder.
It’s their three wins nevertheless which have seen them enter the report books in what have all unfolded into one-way contests.
For the primary time in membership historical past Melbourne have gained three of their first 4 video games by 50 factors or extra.
The membership recorded 50 level wins in opposition to the Western Bulldogs in spherical 1 and Sydney in spherical 3 earlier than carrying on their harmful path on Sunday in opposition to the Eagles.
Tom McDonald returned to the workforce and led the cost in entrance of aim, ending the competition with 4 objectives.
Christian Petracca and Bailey Fritsch every slotted three objectives whereas Oscar Allen kicked three for the Eagles in a lone function up ahead.
Eagles midfield star Tim Kelly produced a stellar show as he completed the competition with a game-high 36 disposals and two objectives.
Brodie Grundy was at his dominant greatest because the Demons ruckman completed with 33 hit-outs and 22 disposals as he once more confirmed why the membership hasn’t missed a beat regardless of shedding skipper Max Gawn.
For greater than half of Sunday’s recreation, the injury-ridden Eagles stored Melbourne from kicking away.
Leading by simply 24 factors at halftime, Christian Petracca offered the spark the Demons and the sport wanted early within the third time period, operating onto a cross into the attacking 50m space from Alex Neal-Bullen. Keeping in stride, the 2021 Norm Smith medallist snapped and kicked a terrific aim to offer his facet a 29-point benefit.
That acquired Melbourne going and West Coast had no solutions.
The Demons booted six objectives within the subsequent 10 minutes of play to enter the final time period 49-points in entrance.
It may have been even worse for the Eagles, as Kysaiah Pickett, getting back from suspension was a bit rusty in his end, kicking 2.5.
An ankle harm to Jake Lever early within the fourth time period is the potential price of Melbourne’s win.
The key defender limped from the bottom after laying a deal with on West Coast’s Connor West.
Before Sunday, Lever was the one participant to have performed each second of each quarter of the opening three rounds.
The Demons excessive profile defensive recruit averaged 92 per cent recreation time final season and didn’t go away the bottom in any respect in 5 of these video games.
– with Brad Elborough, NCA Newswire
Source: www.news.com.au
