AN UNANSWERED seven-goal run through the second and thirds terms was enough to get Melbourne its third win of the year against West Coast at the MCG on Saturday.

West Coast started well and led by 18 points at the four-minute mark of the second, but only added one major after that to lose by 34 points – 11.13 (79) to 5.15 (45).

It was a game played in patches, both by players and by teams – players would do a couple of good things and then go missing.

But Melbourne won the battle of the midfields, and its run got them comfortably across the line.

For West Coast, Steven Armstrong had a terrific first half in the centre and Beau Wilkes did well across half-back, until he was taken from the ground in the final quarter after a collision with big Demon Mark Jamar.

Despite wearing a neck brace, there were good signs as Wilkes adjusted the collar as he lay on the cart.

Dean Cox did his usual job in the ruck and around the ground, as he and Mark Seaby clearly won the hit-outs, although Melbourne won the clearances.

Quinten Lynch again had a run through the middle and, while not as effective as previous weeks, still showed the value of a big body and a long kick in the engine-room.

Captain Darren Glass was also effective in running the defence.

For the Demons, WA youngster Cale Morton was good again off the wing – clearly winning his battle with the retiring Michael Braun, Paul Wheatley was an integral part of the Demons' midfield, while Cameron Bruce, Brad Miller and Brad Green all worked hard.

The game was a poor contest at the start, with both sides over-possessing the ball, and it took 16 minutes and 157 combined possessions before West Coast slotted the first through Ben McKinley – who soccered it off the ground in the square.

Brad Miller got one back for the Demons but then Armstrong found his with a snap and, at the first break, West Coast led by five points.

The second started as the first finished, with Mark LeCras doing justice to a good pass out of the middle from Armstrong, and Lynch hitting the scoreboard.

But then Melbourne decided that long and strong was the order of the day, and four goals in 10 minutes saw the Dees take an eight-point lead into half time.

The third term saw a continuation of the second, with Melbourne kicking the first three to go to a 27-point lead, a 44-point turnaround from the 10-minute mark of the second.

McKinley's second was the only major of the term for West Coast, and at the last change the Demons led by 20 points.

The final quarter saw the same disappointing style of football as the first, and Melbourne kicked the only three goals of the term.

West Coast meets Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval on Sunday, while Melbourne faces Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

Melbourne     1.3   5.7   8.12   11.13 (79)
West Coast     2.2   4.5   5.10   5.15 (45)

GOALS
Melbourne: Bruce 2, Newton 2, Bartram, Bate, Green, P. Johnson, Miller, Morton, Sylvia
West Coast: McKinley 2, Armstrong, LeCras, Lynch

BEST
Melbourne: Bruce, Wheatley, Morton, Green, McDonald, Whelan, Buckley, Jones
West Coast: Armstrong, Cox, Embley, Mackenzie

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
West Coast: Wilkes (neck)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Ryan, Ellis, Nicholls

Official crowd: 17,958 at the MCG

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