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Six months on from their grand final victory, the Melbourne Demons have backed up with a 26-point win over their rivals the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.
Just like the grand final, the rematch was a series of momentum swings, with one side kicking a string of goals before the opposition answered with their own burst.
The Bulldogs came close to getting a measure of revenge, getting to within four points in a fierce final quarter, before the Demons steadied to get the job done on a night where they unveiled the premiership flag before their supporters.
Ben Brown kicked three for the Demons while Aaron Naughton booted four in a losing cause for the Bulldogs.
It was as fierce and fast as expected as the two sides went at each other under lights.
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The Bulldogs were threatening early but they could not make it pay, and after absorbing pressure, the Demons hit back.
Clayton Oliver kicked to the hotspot, it went over the back and Ed Langdon wheeled and snapped the first goal of the season.
Melbourne appeared to jump-start their game — the Dees found Ben Brown who marked inside 50 and goaled. That was two, and Jack Viney added a third by the nine-minute mark.
They had the chance to roll over the Bulldogs, but Brown and Bailey Fritsch missed chances.
The Demons were smashing their rivals at the centre clearances, and they had the clear advantage. In time on, Jake Bowey kicked another, and the champions were in control.
It took until the 27th minute for Hayden Crozier to boot the Bulldogs' first, and then with the last action of the first quarter, Marcus Bontempelli kicked to the hotspot, and a free kick was given for a push on Cody Weightman.
He converted to leave the Dogs 15 points down at the first break.
The second quarter showed the momentum was back with the Bulldogs. Full-forward Aaron Naughton caught fire, kicking his first within 30 seconds of the restart.
By the time he booted his third at the 10-minute mark, the Bulldogs were in front.
They kept going, and when Mitch Hannan scored a few minutes later, they had kicked eight in a row.
The Demons needed a reply and got one from Ben Brown, and then in time-on, Christian Petracca nailed a set shot from the boundary deep in the left forward pocket.
It was a nine-point lead to the Bulldogs at half-time.
Brown was proving a great marking target up forward and kicked a brilliant curling goal early in the third, then Bailey Fritsch added another to put his team back in front.
The problem for the Bulldogs was the sight of Marcus Bontempelli limping off with a twisted ankle — the skipper came back strapped up, but did not look fully right.
Melbourne upped the ante again, with Fritsch taking advantage of a Bulldogs slip-up to kick his second, and then Luke Jackson added another to put the Demons 13 clear.
They had a chance to put a big gap between them and the Bulldogs, but missed chances to leave it at 15 points going into the final change.
A proppy Bontempelli gave his team hope with a nice snap early in the final term. Then the Bulldogs found Naughton, who kicked truly from a set shot to get the lead down to four points.
But Max Gawn drew a roar from the MCG crowd when he ran round on the arc to kick one across his body from outside 50 to put his team 10 points clear.
Both teams were desperate to get the next, and it proved to be Melbourne — the Demons took advantage of an intercept and went long inside 50, where James Harmes outmarked three opponents before kicking his team's 12th of the night.
Adam Treloar grabbed a consolation goal in time-on, but Kysaiah Pickett finished off the night with a major for the Demons.
Norm Smith Medallist Petracca was once again best-on-ground, with 38 disposals, eight marks, nine clearances and two goals.
Look back at how the game unfolded in our blog.
By Dean Bilton
That's it from me
So the season is up and running, but not much has changed. The Demons are still excellent, the Bulldogs are still searching for the answers that will take them that next step. But you'd imagine both of these teams will be there when the whips are cracking late, and we'll be able to use this game as a reference point at the end of the season if and when they meet again.
We've got heaps more coming from this game - refresh this page for Andrew McGarry's match report shortly, and look out for analysis tomorrow morning. And that's just the beginning for season 2022. If you love AFL footy, you'll want to stay close to ABC Sport all season long. Thanks for joining me tonight, I'll see you again soon.
By Dean Bilton
The key men
- Christian Petracca 38 disposals, two goals, nine clearances, 11 inside-50s, 16 contested possessions
- Clayton Oliver 32 disposals, six clearances, 15 contested possessions
- Bailey Smith 33 disposals, eight clearances, five inside-50s, 11 tackles
- Aaron Naughton four goals, six marks, three inside-50s, seven score involvements
By Dean Bilton
FT: MELBOURNE WINS! Melbourne 14.13 (97) defeats Western Bulldogs 11.5 (71)
Melbourne too good. It didn't have the same obscene outburst, but in many ways that was the grand final played all over again. Melbourne started well, the Dogs hit back hard in the second, and then the Demons just ground them down and held them off all the way to the final whistle.
Christian Petracca will take the Brownlow votes with 38 disposals and two goals, but it really was a whole team effort from Melbourne. Their defence just absolutely suffocated the Bulldogs for large stretches of that game, and that's something that isn't going to go away all season.
By Dean Bilton
NAILS IT! PICKETT FINISHES THEM OFF!
Another night to remember for Melbourne. They have sent a message tonight, this has been mighty impressive.
By Dean Bilton
2': Heeeeere's Kossie. Demons win it back at half-forward and spot up Pickett, all on his own inside 50. Hasn't seen much of the footy, but a chance for a goal here.
By Dean Bilton
TRELOAR GETS ONE BACK
Hacked forward out of the middle, Bontempelli is clean by hand and releases Treloar. A tidy finish from 50 out.
By Dean Bilton
PETRACCA SEALS IT! OF COURSE HE DOES!
Wonderful tap over the back from Jackson, and Petracca only needs one step to snap truly. 37 disposals and two goals, he's a freak.
By Dean Bilton
3': Gawn plucks one out of the ruck and bombs forward. It's taken out for a boundary throw in deep in Melbourne attack, right where they want it.
By Dean Bilton
3': He misses. But at 20 points, it looks too far gone for the Bulldogs.
By Dean Bilton
4': Another Dogs chance goes begging as Schache borks on his right, and Bedford streams out of defence. Petracca, to Oliver, back to Bedford who kept on running. To ice the game...
By Dean Bilton
5': Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant Melbourne football ends with Neal-Bullen missing a sitter from 25m out. It started with a big tackled from Hunt in defence, and three handballs later it should have been a certain goal. 19 points now.
By Dean Bilton
6': That ain't it. Macrae laces out Angus Brayshaw. There's no way through for the Bulldogs.
By Dean Bilton
6': A stalemate on the wing, but the Bulldogs are pressing. Need to find an option inside 50.
By Dean Bilton
8': Finally they find a way forward, but Steven May beasts Naughton in the contest and takes the mark. Big win for the big defender.
By Dean Bilton
8': English wins the clearance, but Hunt intercepts. Demons try to take the sting out of it but English intercepts on the wing. Nowhere to go though, Melbourne well set up.
By Dean Bilton
HARMES SLOTS IT! IT'S TOUGH FOR THE DOGS NOW!
It's a three-goal game now, and the Dees have responded after the Bulldogs hot start. Eight minutes to play, Bulldogs need something special from here.
By Dean Bilton
10': Dogs try to be precise coming out, but they turn it over! Melbourne numbers everywhere, and Harmes takes the mark at the top of the square. Big goal coming up...
By Dean Bilton
10': Petracca dishes off and the Dees fly forward, Langdon loooong inside 50 towards Spargo... punched through for a rushed behind. 12 point game.
By Dean Bilton
11': Entry is poor. Bailey Dale chops it off. Dogs to try again.
By Dean Bilton
12': Macrae spills the mark, and then slides in on Bedford! Free kick, contact below the knees. Melbourne to launch again.