But the Demons – who are now a game clear in second place on the ladder – did it the hard way against a plucky West Coast for three quarters, before eventually running away with the game in the final term to win 18.14 (122) to 11.7 (73).
On a day when so many of the Demons’ key players endured down days, Robertson played by far his best game of the season in finishing with 13 marks and five goals.
And he produced a trademark ‘speccy’ in the first quarter with a magnificent mark falling backwards over the top of Travis Gaspar and Darren Glass.
But incredibly Robertson’s spectacular effort was overshadowed later in the game by one of the best marks ever seen at the MCG by Eagles’ goalsneak Ashley Sampi.
With just seconds remaining before half-time, Sampi rose incredibly high over the shoulders of Melbourne’s Paul Wheatley to take one of the best and certainly one of the highest marks seen in the history of the game.
He also booted two goals in the second term and by half-time the Eagles were only 11 points adrift of the high-flying Demons.
However in a sign of the quality of this current Melbourne outfit, Neale Daniher’s side still cruised home despite several of its most important players enduring poor days.
Skipper David Neitz did not manage a single possession in the first half and his first goal of the game did not come until the 12 minute mark of the third term while his only other major came in the dying minutes when the game was well and truly won.
And Cameron Bruce, the hero of last week’s 105 point rout of Carlton with seven goals, was also quiet.
And that is what made Robertson’s return to form so timely for the Demons.
Coming into this match Robertson, who won his first club best and fairest last year, had managed just 20 marks and two goals for the season from five previous matches.
But such was his dominance against the Eagles that he had managed ten marks and four goals by half-time alone as the visitors had no answer to his strong marking and ability to find space.
Robertson provided the kind of target in attack that West Coast lacked so badly throughout the game, even though Brent Staker tried hard at full-forward.
The Eagles’ most reliable goalkicker of recent years in Phil Matera was soundly beaten by Matthew Whelan while Andrew McDougall struggled to have an impact.
And young Melbourne defender Jared Rivers continued his outstanding season with another polished display across half-back as he continues to play like a man with 200 games experience behind him and not ten.
The other newcomer that has ignited Melbourne this season in goalsneak Aaron Davey was again exciting with two goals and the continual pressure he put on the Eagles’ defenders with his chasing and harassing was again as much a feature of his game as his ability to kick a team-lifting goal.
Melbourne coach Neale Daniher was pleased with yet another solid effort from his much-improved outfit.
“I’m very pleased with the win, anytime you come away with a 49-point win it’s a good result. To be sitting 6-1, I’m very pleased,” Daniher said.
“I thought the Eagles gave us a good contest and were very good around the stop plays. But we stuck at it and kicked six goals in the last quarter, so we’re running out games.
“I think at stages we can play better, but to come away with a 49-point win, I’m very pleased.”
But while the Demons already look definite finals material, if not top four contenders, the Eagles are really struggling.
The Perth club has now lost three matches in a row since its thrilling round four win over reigning premiers Brisbane and with a 2-5 win/loss record is in one of its most difficult positions since John Worsfold took over as coach at the start of the 2002 season.
And for a club which has made the finals in 13 of its 17 seasons since joining the competition in 1987, the Eagles already look like they will face a tough battle to be part of the September action this season.
West Coast coach John Worsfold conceded the club was now in its most difficult position since he took over at the start of 2002.
“In my three years this is first time we have had only two wins at this stage,” he said.
“It’s crunch time every week and where our team sits at the moment is disappointing but it’s where we deserve to sit with the quality of football we have been playing.”
Melbourne: 4.6 8.9 12.12 18.14 (122)
West Coast Eagles: 2.2 7.4 8.6 11.7 (73)
Goals: Melbourne: Robertson 5, Holland 2, Neitz 2, Bruce 2, Davey 2, Armstrong, Brown, Thompson, Johnstone, Green
West Coast Eagles: Staker 3, Sampi 2, Matera 2, McDougall, Embley, Chambers, Wirrpunda
Best: Melbourne: Robertson, Whelan, Rivers, Wheatley, Thompson, Brown, Green, Godfrey
West Coast Eagles: Braun, Glass, Staker, Kerr, B Jones
Injuries: None
Changes: West Coast Eagles: Fletcher (shoulder) replaced in selected side by Adkins
Reports: Heffernan (Melb) by umpire McInerney for tripping Daniel Kerr in the first quarter
Umpires: James, Nicholls, McInerney
Crowd: 21,145 at the MCG
