MELBOURNE coach Simon Goodwin is adamant he can rescue his winless club from the mire after plunging to a 39-point loss to Essendon.
The Demons are in a 0-5 hole after Bombers captain Zach Merrett dominated in his side's 15.6 (96) to 8.9 (57) victory at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
Essendon ruck Nick Bryan will be sent for scans after suffering a suspected season-ending knee injury.
DEMONS v BOMBERS Full match coverage and stats
But Merrett's game-high 38 disposals and the feats of Dylan Shiel (30 touches) and Jye Menzie (four goals) were instrumental in Essendon squaring its win-loss ledger at 2-2.
Goodwin's Demons, though, sink to 17th, above only West Coast, with an alarming lack of scoring potency - averaging about 60 points a game.
"We've had a lot of challenges through my time at the footy club," Goodwin said after the match.
"I have been pretty well serviced to see the club through that and I feel pretty well credentialed to do that.
"'We're in a challenging spot right now and we acknowledge that, but my focus is just doing my job to the best of my ability and I believe I've got the credentials to do it."
Melbourne produced a third-term rally before a crowd of 45,039.
But the damage had been done: the Demons were within six points early in the second term before the Bombers kicked the next five goals for a 35-point lead in the third quarter.
Just when Melbourne appeared down and out, they suddenly - and unexpectedly - turned the tide with four consecutive goals in a 15-minute burst.
The Demons had clawed back to just 10 points down when busy Bomber Nic Martin goaled in the 32nd minute, giving his side a 16-point cushion at three quarter-time.
Essendon then scored five goals to one in the last term to settle Melbourne's fate.
The Demons will lament allowing their opponents to produce a telling quarter-hour in the second stanza when the Bombers kicked four consecutive goals.
The batch was book-ended by the influential Menzie, whose third goal created a 30-point break.
At that stage Melbourne, renowned in recent years for a misfiring forward line, led the inside 50 count 25-22 but had scored just 2.4.
Essendon's 7.4 to 2.5 half-time lead was soon increased to 35 points before the Demons' unheralded four-goal, 15-minute spree.
But Melbourne's best period was too brief to overpower the Bombers, who earned praise from coach Brad Scott.
"We were on for most of the game," Scott said.
"Melbourne to their credit really challenged us in that third quarter but I thought we showed pretty good character to respond to that challenge."
Essendon claimed midfield honours with Merrett, Shiel, Ben Hobbs (20, two goals), Andrew McGrath (26 possessions) and Nic Martin (28, one goal) all shining.
Demons winger Ed Langdon was a standout with 25 touches and a goal while big guns Pickett (23, two goals), Christian Petracca (27 possessions) and Clayton Oliver (24 possessions) all had impact.
Shiel starting to shine again
After handing GWS two first round selections in exchange for Dylan Shiel in 2018, Essendon was rewarded with a cracking first season from the midfielder, before injury and form saw his output dip sharply over the next five years. However, he came out on fire on Saturday night with 20 first-half possessions and finished with 30 for the match. Now, at the ripe old age of 32, Shiel is back to his best and could prove a key cog if the Bombers are to find finals success this season.
The Dees' dynamic duo can't do it by themselves anymore
As good as Melbourne's list has been through its years in contention, the Demons' undisputed one wood was in the midfield, or more particularly, the almost unstoppable pairing of Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca. The pair won six best and fairest awards between them from 2017 to 2023, but became mere football mortals through the horrors of last year. On Saturday night both showed glimpses of their old selfs but were ultimately just another two players plying their trade. It would seem that if the Demons are to rise it would be on the champions' backs, but maybe it's more the case that someone else needs to do the heavy lifting.
MELBOURNE 1.4 2.5 7.7 8.9 (57)
ESSENDON 3.4 7.4 10.5 15.6 (96)
GOALS
Melbourne: Pickett 2, Fritsch 2, Sparrow, Sharp, Petty, Langdon
Essendon: Menzie 4, Hobbs 2, Caddy 2, Shiel, Perkins, Martin, Jones, Gresham, Duursma, Redman
BEST
Melbourne: Gawn, Pickett, Petracca, Langdon, Bowey
Essendon: Merrett, Martin, Menzie, Ridley, Durham, Shiel
INJURIES
Melbourne: TBC
Essendon: Bryan (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Harry Sharp, replaced Jack Henderson in the third quarter
Essendon: Saad El-Hawli, replaced Nick Bryan in the first quarter
Crowd: 45,039 at Adelaide Oval
