Bayley Fritsch celebrates a goal during Melbourne’s clash against West Coast in round 21, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

SKIPPER Max Gawn has led from the front as embattled Melbourne responded to a week in the spotlight 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.

DEMONS v EAGLES Full match coverage and stats

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.

The expected win will do little to ease the pressure in a season without finals – but a loss would have been catastrophic.

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.

It was just more pain for the last-placed Eagles, who have already indicated their plans to seek draft assistance from the AFL.

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.

Forgotten Eagle shows good signs
It has been a tough year for Campbell Chesser, the No.14 pick in the 2021 Telstra AFL Draft. But the winger finally returned for his first AFL game of the year on Saturday and showed some good signs for the Eagles. Chesser provided run and carry for West Coast and finished with 17 touches and a goal.

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 StadiumÂ