GOALS - Melbourne: Watts 3, Garlett 2, Hannan 2, Bugg 2, T McDonald 2, Neal-Bullen, Petracca, Salem, Tyson, Harmes, Melksham.
Western Bulldogs: Daniel, Roughead, Dahlhaus, Picken, Bontempelli, T Boyd, Dickson, Liberatore.
BEST - Melbourne: O McDonald, T McDonald, Watts, Salem, Garlett, Bugg, Oliver, Lewis
Western Bulldogs: Wallis, Suckling, Picken, Liberatore, Roughead, Daniel
UMPIRES: Findlay, Rosebury, Hosking, Foot.
CROWD: 33,667 at Etihad Stadium.

Tomas Bugg had provocatively asked the question of whether Jason Johannisen was ready. If he should have asked it remains a matter for debate. But Bugg and his Instagram partner-in-crime Jack Watts got their answer by 6pm on Sunday.

Unfortunately for Norm Smith medallist Johannisen and his teammates in red, white and blue, it was a no. Western Bulldogs dasher Johannisen was again tagged out of a game, this time by Demon Jake Melksham.

He was far from the only Bulldog to lower his colours though, with the chance of back-to-back Dogs premierships looking increasingly remote following a 57-point defeat at the hands of the rising Demons on Sunday at Etihad Stadium, a loss compounded by a knee injury to midfielder Lin Jong.

Melbourne have teased their fans at times this year with hot and cold form, but after a painful decade they look poised to return to the finals, having consolidated their position in the top eight with the likely additions of Max Gawn and Jesse Hogan in coming weeks.

The Dees' new-found strength was embodied by Bugg and Watts, who backed up their pre-game talk by walking the walk, kicking five goals between them.

The contested ball was roughly an even spread for most of the day, but the Demons were far slicker. Christian Salem and Michael Hibberd provided their customary run, while Jeff Garlett was far craftier than any Bulldogs forward. Oscar and Tom McDonald had among the most productive days for McDonald brothers anywhere since the creation of the quarter pounder with cheese.

It meant that while Melbourne's midfield was good, they didn't need to dominate for the Dees to come out on top. So while Tom Liberatore returned from his stint in the VFL to find plenty of ball, and Marcus Bontempelli and Mitch Wallis were serviceable, the Dogs were nowhere near dynamic enough in attack.

Back in the seniors for the first time in a year, Dog Mitch Honeychurch narrowly missed a regulation shot in the game's opening minute. He would have known it was a waste, but he couldn't have foreseen just how long his side would need to wait for their first major.

Around the ground the Bulldogs were in the game, but their forward 50 was like the Bermuda Triangle. Tory Dickson and Jake Stringer - so deadly on their day - were largely anonymous. Tom Boyd, the biggest and best-paid man on the ground, failed to take a single first-half mark.

The Dees were mopping up everything, and often enough making the Dogs pay at the other end.

It took until the 19-minute mark of the second term for the Bulldogs to finally snare a major as Caleb Daniel guided one home from 40m from what was his team's 22nd inside 50.

That could have kick-started the reigning premiers, but rather it was followed by a clanger. The antagonistic Bugg - perhaps the most aptly-named player in VFL/AFL history - got a gimme after Dogs skipper Easton Wood foolishly tried to impose himself physically following a Mitch Hannan goal.

Wood's attack drew Demon claret, but Bugg was surely more than happy enough to bleed for a cheap kick at goal, which he duly converted.

From there the push and shove accelerated in what was an already spiteful match. It sparked the Dogs for a moment as they kicked two quick goals, and with the frustrated crowd coming to life, they had a trickle of momentum.

But the ground they had already conceded meant Luke Beveridge's men couldn't afford more profligacy in front of goal. Alas, that was what they got, as Honeychurch missed another sitter, after which the Dees rebounded, allowing Watts to sink a beautiful set shot from 45 metres out on the boundary line, extending the margin to 33 points on the half-time siren. He got the first after the break too, and while the 2016 Dogs might have come back from there, the 2017 version isn't up to it at the moment.

The Dogs tried to rough up Bugg at the first bounce, but by afternoon's end it was they who looked bruised.