Melbourne are the AFL’s new road warriors and it could take them all the way to this year’s premiership.
The Demons finally ended their Perth hoodoo with a thrilling three-point win over West Coast in Saturday night’s clash at Domain Stadium.
Melbourne trailed by 16 points midway through the final term but a Tom McDonald goal with just 26 seconds remaining lifted the Demons to a famous 15.9 (99) to 14.12 (96) win.
McDonald finished with a career-best five.
It was Melbourne’s first win in Perth since 2004 – ending a 17-game losing streak at Subiaco.
Importantly, the Demons (8-5) remain just percentages adrift of third spot.
Melbourne haven’t made the finals since 2006 but are well placed to change that.
The Demons have won all three of their interstate games this season – against the Crows in Adelaide, Gold Coast in the Northern Territory and Eagles in Perth.
And Etihad Stadium is no longer a graveyard for them.
Melbourne lost 22 straight at the Docklands venue between 2008 and 2015 but have won three of four there this season.
The Bulldogs were the fairytale story of 2016 and Melbourne could follow in their footsteps this year if everything goes to plan.
But coach Simon Goodwin isn’t getting carried away, saying his team need to continue to improve if they are to contend at the end of the year.
“Our history of the footy club is irrelevant to this group,” Goodwin said.
“They are trying to forge their own journey and their own pathway.
“We know we still have a lot of work to do.”
The win over West Coast was all the more meritorious considering the Demons were without three of their best – Nathan Jones, Jesse Hogan and Jack Watts.
Watts (hamstring) will return for next Friday night’s blockbuster with Sydney at the MCG but Hogan will probably need another week to recover from testicular surgery.
Co-captain Jack Viney could be set for a stint on the sidelines after injuring his shoulder against the Eagles, while Christian Salem (hamstring) and Jeff Garlett (hamstring) are also in doubt.
West Coast’s second loss at home this season dealt a huge blow to their top-four hopes.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson was devastated by the defeat but upbeat about the performance.
West Coast won the inside-50m count 57-47 and laid 15 more tackles than the Demons.
But Lewis Jetta’s miss from a 40m set shot proved a turning point, with Melbourne slamming home the last three goals of the match to steal victory.
Simpson said forward Josh Kennedy, who has missed the past three games with a torn calf, was no certainty for Saturday’s crunch clash with the Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.
“He’s been progressing well but slowly,” Simpson said.
“It’s just a complicated injury. It’s a calf that’s related a little bit to the Achilles.”
Captain Shannon Hurn is also in doubt after copping a heavy head knock in the dying stages of Saturday’s loss.
