MELBOURNE is back, and back in a big way.

A stunning four-goal second quarter put the Western Bulldogs away, and helped the Demons to a 48-point win to launch their 10th season in the AFLW.

After a nervous start from both teams, Melbourne put the foot down to post the 9.8 (62) to 1.8 (14) win at Mission Whitten Oval on Saturday evening, retaining the Hampson-Hardeman cup in the process.

Tyla Hanks (29 disposals, two goals) and Liv Purcell (33 disposals, seven clearances, one goal) starred for the victors through the middle of the ground, but it wasn’t without some pain, as Tayla Harris was ruled out of the game at half-time after poking herself in the eye during a marking contest.

Dees captain Kate Hore (17 disposals, two goals) spent the first half playing as a pure forward, largely coming out of the goal square, and kept Bulldogs defender Issy Grant busy.

Following a stagnant opening quarter where both sides struggled to establish any clean movement into space, the Demons came out in the second term with a really aggressive intent to run the ball out of the backline. 

2024 All-Australian squad member Maeve Chaplin (14 disposals, eight intercepts) was the instigator, and while she did get caught at times, she never dropped her head and really started to open the game up for Melbourne.

The Bulldogs worked hard early to try to use the width of the ground and execute the growth in their game style in their second season under Tam Hyett. Unfortunately, once Melbourne injected Hore into the middle and got rolling out of the contest, the Dogs reverted to their get-out-of-jail kick down the line to ruck Alice Edmonds. 

As part of this, they struggled to generate opportunity for their marking forwards in debutant Emma McDonald and Lou Stephenson. Instead, their delivery forward was pressured and rushed.

Once in this pattern, Melbourne established real control on the game, and got to work in front of the scoreboard.

With Harris out of the game, Eden Zanker (two goals) took charge of the forward line, kicking her own goals and setting up teammates.

Jasmyn Smith expertly ran the wing for the Western Bulldogs, racking up 11 disposals in the first quarter alone, but could only do so much in the barrage, while second-year forward Elaine Grigg (eight tackles) worked exceptionally hard in the front half.

In her return game from a nasty foot injury incurred in week three last year, former Bulldogs captain Ellie Blackburn had a quieter night playing largely as a forward, finishing with 17 disposals.

Tayla’s back… kind of
Last year Melbourne star Tayla Harris survived just a half of football before reinjuring her shoulder, and the Demons dearly missed her presence in the air across the field. So, on Saturday evening, Dees fans lit up as Harris flew at the footy and made her presence felt. Working well alongside Eden Zanker, Alyssa Bannan, and Kate Hore up forward, it was midway through the second quarter where she reminded everyone exactly what they missed last year. As Paxy Paxman dump kicked the ball forward, Harris rose above the pack and took a strong contested mark, stamping her authority on the game. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long, with a poke to the eye just before half-time ruling her out or the remainder of the game.

The Dogs do it well
Kicking off the 10th season for both the Bulldogs and Demons, it was only right they play off for the Hampson-Hardeman cup. And for the Dogs, as the home side, they paid tribute to those who have come before, with their ‘Pioneer Party’. Before the teams took to the field, there was a neat light and pyrotechnic show to accompany a host of pioneers – including Hall of Famer Debbie Lee – inaugural players, and 2018 premiership players. It was an important moment to not only get excited about the future, but respect those who did the work in the past to get the AFLW to where it is now.

Up next
The Western Bulldogs will head to Ikon Park to take on a similarly smarting Richmond outfit on Sunday afternoon, while Melbourne will host St Kilda at Casey Fields as it looks to make it two wins from two starts.

WESTERN BULLDOGS    0.2    1.4    1.4   1.8 (14)
MELBOURNE                  1.3    3.4    7.7   9.8 (62)

GOALS  
Western Bulldogs: Woodley
Melbourne: Hore 2, Zanker 2, Hanks 2, Heath, Bannan, Purcell

BEST  
Western Bulldogs: Edmonds, Smith, Grigg, Fitzgerald
Melbourne: Hanks, Heath, Hore, Purcell, Chaplin

INJURIES  
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Melbourne: Harris (eye)

Crowd: 3,278 at Mission Whitten Oval