MELBOURNE has delivered a dramatic 35-point comeback win over Gold Coast in Alice Springs on Saturday.

Trailing by 24 points at half-time, the Demons stormed home to win 18.14 (122) to 13.9 (87) during Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.

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Gold Coast missed champion midfielder Gary Ablett, who was out with another shoulder injury, but this didn't look to be a huge loss early on when the Suns led.

But Melbourne had other ideas at TIO Traeger Park.

Five talking points: Melbourne v Gold Coast

The Demons led on statistics for most of the game, but could not convert this to scoring - until the third quarter when they snatched the lead kicking five goals and two behinds.

The flurry of points came through a shift in tactics and leadership from their veterans.

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Jordan Lewis stepped up when he was most needed, the former Hawk recording 26 disposals and six marks. Lewis acted almost as a second coach, directing traffic during the comeback quarter, while remaining gritty in defence.

"I'm very proud of the victory," Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said. 

"To respond the way we did after half-time and play the way we played was very good. 

"It's been a trend of ours the whole year, we've fluctuated in the way we've played through games but we've been able to respond, and today we went on with it."

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The Demons continued their varied approach to centre bounces, consistently changing the number of players on the sides of the square. This proved vital as they recorded 71 inside 50s.

Forward Jeff Garlett had a career night with five goals and 24 disposals.

The win is the Demons' first in Alice Springs and puts them provisionally eighth on the ladder, while the Suns sit 16th after three wins and six losses this season.

Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade said he was "disappointed" in the loss.

"It was just our turnovers, we gave the ball back to them," Eade said.

"We made a couple of mistakes and cost us goals and players went back into their shell a bit and didn't use the ball the way they were supposed to, were conservative, and made mistakes."

Gold Coast tore away in the second quarter with its hard-running play, as Aaron Hall and Brandon Matera led the charge.

But this couldn't be sustained and Hall finished with 29 disposals and one goal and Matera 20 disposals and three goals.

MEDICAL ROOM
Melbourne: Adding to a great day for the Dees was the fact they got through unscathed. Star forward Jesse Hogan is expected to return to the club this week to further bolster their playing stocks.

Gold Coast: A clean bill for the Suns. Playing his first game in nine weeks after overcoming a heel injury, Pearce Hanley had a rough day with just eight touches, but got through unscathed, and will be far better for the game in his legs. 

NEXT UP
After getting its season ledger to an even 5-5, Melbourne will put its feet up for a week with the bye to come. Gold Coast hosts West Coast at Metricon Stadium next Saturday afternoon in a match it simply must win to give its finals hopes a realistic chance.

MELBOURNE    2.1   4.8   9.10   18.14   (122)
GOLD COAST   4.5   7.7    9.8     13.9     (87) 

GOALS
Melbourne: Garlett 5, Jones 3, Harmes 3, Hannan 3, Tyson, Petracca, Neal-Bullen, Watts
Gold Coast: Matera 3, Lynch 2, Wright 2, Barlow 2, Sexton, Lemmens, Kolodjashnij, Hall 

BEST 
Melbourne: Oliver, Jones, Hibberd, Lewis, Garlett, Melksham
Gold Coast: Hall, Swallow, Kolodjashnij, Leslie, Matera 

INJURIES 
Melbourne: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil 

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Williamson, Jeffery, Glouftsis

Official crowd: 5072 at TIO Traeger Park