The latter half of 2024 wasn’t all gloom and doom. Melbourne had a big night in Round 17 when it came to the MCG with the intent of obliterating the embarrassment of their earlier defeat at the hands of West Coast at Optus Stadium.

Mission accomplished.

MELBOURNE 7.3.45 11.5.71 14.9.93 17.10.112

WEST COAST EAGLES 1.2.8 3.4.22 6.8.44 8.10.58

GOALS

MELBOURNE van Rooyen 4 Fritsch 3 Melksham Pickett Tholstrup Gawn Langdon Turner Windsor

WEST COAST EAGLES Allen 4 Waterman 2 Darling Ryan

BEST 

MELBOURNE Rivers Windsor van Rooyen Langdon Pickett Viney

WEST COAST EAGLES Yeo Kelly Allen Hutchinson B Williams

THE TEAMS 

MELBOURNE

B J. Lever, S. May, J. McVee
HB A. Moniz-Wakefield, T. McDonald, T. Rivers
C T. Sparrow, A. Neal-Bullen, C. Windsor
HF K. Tholstrup, J. Van Rooyen, E. Langdon
F K. Pickett, B. Fritsch, J. Melksham
FOLL M. Gawn, J. Viney, C. Oliver
I/C J. Bowey, K. Chandler, C. Salem, D. Turner SUB T. Woewodin 
EMG T. Fullarton, B. Laurie, A. Tomlinson

IN J. Bowey, J. Melksham, C. Salem

OUT K. Brown (omitted), H. Petty (hamstring), A. Tomlinson (omitted)

WEST COAST EAGLES

B B. Hough, T. Barrass, A. Witherden
HB T. Cole, J. McGovern, L. Duggan
C J. Hunt, E. Yeo, J. Jones
HF L. Ryan, J. Waterman, T. Brockman
F J. Cripps, O. Allen, J. Darling
FOLL B. Williams, H. Reid, T. Kelly
I/C C. Chesser, R. Ginbey, J. Hutchinson, J. Rotham SUB J. Williams
EMG H. Edwards, H. Johnston, R. Maric

IN J. Hutchinson, J. Williams

OUT M.Flynn (ankle), R. Maric (omitted)

Thank the stars Darling has gone.