THE WESTERN Bulldogs took another step in their mid-season resurrection on Friday night, with a commanding 64-point victory over a disappointing Melbourne making it three wins on the trot.

The 19.13 (127) to 8.15 (63) thumping in front of 29,516 fans at Etihad Stadium was the Bulldogs' sixth of the season and moved them to within half a game of the top eight.

In what was an at-times flat contest punctuated by a trio of spectacular highlights, Rodney Eade's men had too many match-winners and too much class.

After an even start to the match, the Bulldogs grabbed control with five straight goals from the 14-minute mark of the first quarter to the five-minute mark of the second, opening a 24-point half-time break.

One of those goals was a brilliant soccer-style effort from Adam Cooney in the opening quarter.

The Brownlow medallist, in his best match of the season after battling a persistent knee complaint, ran onto an errant Daniel Cross pass and hacked the bouncing ball out of mid-air and straight through the middle.

With Melbourne desperate for a strong start to the second half, goals to Daniel Giansiracusa and Liam Picken in the first three minutes put the Bulldogs six goals clear.

Ricky Petterd tried to lift the Demons with a monstrous mark of the year contender and goal at the six-minute mark, but when the Bulldogs answered almost immediately through Ryan Griffen and Giansiracusa, the Bulldogs had a match-winning 40-point lead.

The game became a procession in the final quarter as the Bulldogs piled on six goals to one, and Jarrad Grant joined the highlights reel with a brilliant jump and grab over Demons defender Colin Garland.

Influential players
With 28 disposals, six clearances and two goals, Griffen was the game's most influential player, closely followed by Cooney (26 disposals, seven clearances, one goal) and the fearless Callan Ward (25 possessions, five clearances, two goals).

In-form tagger Picken claimed another scalp, holding the dangerous Tom Scully to 17 touches.

Giansiracusa finished with four goals, boosting his tally to 21 in his past six matches, and full-forward Barry Hall contributed three, showing signs his fitness and touch is beginning to return.

What it means
The Bulldogs will look to continue their resurgence with two more Etihad Stadium outings - against Carlton and North Melbourne - in the next fortnight.

Rodney Eade had made no secret of the Bulldogs' desire to reach the finals, and with their upper echelon of players now up and firing and youngsters such as Luke Dahlhaus adding much-needed energy, you could mount an argument to say they're the most dangerous team in the chasing pack.

Toyota AFL Dream Team highlight
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa was the game's leading scorer with 132 points. Cross (121 points), Griffen (115), Cooney (110) and Shaun Higgins (100) also raised their bats.

Next four
Western Bulldogs: Etihad Stadium clashes with Carlton and North Melbourne in the next fortnight, followed by Sydney at the SCG, then back home to face West Coast.

What the coach said
Rodney Eade (Western Bulldogs)
"That's the best we've played this year, there's no doubt about that. (It was the best performance) on a few fronts, the consistency of it for sure, being able to kick enough goals, our ball use was a lot better, and I think our pressure was a lot better as well."

Quarter by quarter

First quarter
Melbourne held sway in the first half of the term. The Demons were cleaner around the stoppages, and the likes of Jack Trengove, Jordie McKenzie and Nathan Jones won plenty of the ball. Ricky Petterd was a lively target forward and kicked the opening goal of the match. Barry Hall was an influential target for the Bulldogs in their forward line and presented plenty of problems for James Frawley. The Bulldogs stars took control late, and goals to Adam Cooney from a freakish soccer and Lindsay Gilbee gave them a two-goal lead at the break.

Second quarter
The Bulldogs took control of the clearances, winning the vital statistic 15-6 for the term after Melbourne had recorded four more clearances in the first quarter. Ryan Griffen and Callan Ward dominated as the Bulldogs opened the term with two goals, one after a 50-metre penalty to Ward and another coming after a questionable free kick to Shaun Higgins. After Melbourne hit back with goals to Trengove and Jeremy Howe, the Bulldogs steadied with late goals to Daniel Giansiracusa and Hall to extend their lead to 24 points at the main break.

Third quarter
The quarter belonged to the Bulldogs, who kicked five goals to three. Giansiracusa got his side off to the ideal start when he goaled within 30 seconds of the resumption, and the Dogs were soon out to a six-goal advantage. The quarter will be remembered for Petterd's mark of the year contender when he stood on the head of Tom Williams. Petterd’s resultant goal gave the Demons some spark, but with every challenge they mounted, the Bulldogs hit back.

Fourth quarter
The Demons got the perfect start with Watts' running onto a loose ball and kicking a goal from the square within the first minute of the term, but it was Melbourne’s last hurrah. The Bulldogs kicked the remaining six goals of the match, the first of them coming after Giansiracusa won a free kick and was then gifted a 50-metre penalty by Jared Rivers. Jarrad Grant took the night's second most spectacular mark and finished off with a goal to help extend the lead to 46 points, and the Dogs added three more goals before the siren ended the Dees’ misery.

Western Bulldogs    4.5    8.9    13.10    19.13 (127)
Melbourne                2.4    4.9     7.13      8.15 (63)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 4, Hall 3, Griffen 2, Higgins 2, Dahlhaus 2, Ward 2, Gilbee, Cooney, Picken, Grant
Melbourne: Petterd 2, Howe 2, Watts 2, Trengove, Sylvia

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Cooney, Ward, Giansiracusa, Picken, Higgins
Melbourne: Trengove, Petterd, Howe, Moloney

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Nil
Melbourne: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Ed Barlow (dislocated finger) replaced by Sam Reid in the fourth quarter.
Melbourne: Jamie Bennell replaced by Sam Blease in the third quarter.

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Farmer, Rosebury, Mollison

Official crowd: 29,516 at Etihad Stadium.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the club.