Melbourne forward Tom McDonald returned to form and Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca put on a midfield masterclass to help lift the Demons to a 63-point AFL victory over West Coast at Perth Stadium.
McDonald was sent back to the VFL after kicking just one goal across the opening two rounds of the season.
But the premiership forward made the most of Ben Brown's absence on Sunday with four goals, 16 disposals, three contested marks and three score assists in his team's 19.12 (126) to 9.9 (63) victory in front of 42,458 fans.
Earlier, Essendon overcome their own inaccuracy to beat GWS by 13.
Bayley Fritsch chipped in with three goals, while star midfielders Oliver (34 disposals, 10 clearances, 10 tackles) and Petracca (29 possessions, three goals) dominated after quiet starts.
Brodie Grundy had a field day in the ruck on the way to 22 possessions, 33 hitouts and seven clearances.
The one concern for Melbourne was an injury to defender Jake Lever in the final quarter.
Lever limped off the ground after hurting his left leg while diving forward to tackle Connor West.
Sunday's win improved Melbourne's record to 3-1 and moved them into third on the ladder.
West Coast are now 1-3 and face another season of pain given their injury woes.
The Eagles made seven changes to their team following the injury carnage from last week's western derby, which claimed stars such as Liam Ryan, Jeremy McGovern, Luke Shuey and Jamie Cripps.
West Coast were so short on tall options in defence that returning midfielder Elliot Yeo was forced to play the role of key backman at times.
Tim Kelly tallied a game-high 36 disposals for West Coast to go with five clearances and two goals, while former Demon Jayden Hunt finished with 20 touches and a goal.
There were mistakes aplenty in the first half despite the sunny and still conditions, with both sides guilty of butchering golden chances.
West Coast won the inside 50m count 13-9 in the opening term, but Melbourne's ability to get over the top of the Eagles' defence saw the visitors to skip out to a 17-point lead at the first break.
Fritsch and McDonald booted two goals apiece in the first quarter, and Fritsch had three to his name by early in the second term.
Melbourne's lead was only 19 points late in the second quarter, but the visitors booted seven of the next eight goals to break the contest wide open.
McDonald's fourth goal was the highlight, with the 30-year-old competing hard in a ruck contest in the middle of the ground before running forward to receive a handball and set sail from 52m.
Wayward Bombers beat Giants as strong start continues
Essendon dynamo Jake Stringer has exploded into form to spark the wasteful Bombers to a 13-point win over GWS and a 3-1 start to the AFL season.
The Bombers appeared in danger of letting Sunday's clash at Docklands Stadium slip after an ugly opening half, where they kicked just three goals along with 10 behinds and five shots that missed altogether.
Instead, Essendon flicked the switch late in the third quarter and kicked away early in the last to seal an 11.22 (88) to 11.9 (75) victory.
Stringer booted 4.6, including nailing an awesome barrel on the run while spurning several good opportunities in a performance that just about summed up the Bombers' day.
Long-kicking running defender Mason Redman (26 touches) was superb and Zach Merrett (28 touches) and Darcy Parish (30 disposals, seven clearances) racked up the ball at will.
Brilliant Giants ballwinner Tom Green (34 touches) was typically prolific and Josh Kelly (28 touches, two goals) also impressed, while Harry Himmelberg booted three goals and Nick Haynes was busy down back.
Brad Scott's Bombers made a bizarre late team change, dropping ex-skipper Dyson Heppell, whose form had been under fire, for ruckman Andrew Phillips.
Heppell was named the substitute and returned to the fray in the second quarter when Sam Weideman had to leave the game with concussion after he was clattered by Haynes in an aerial contest.
Key forward Weideman's exit forced the Bombers to swing Kyle Langford forward.
But where the Bombers had butchered their chances, with Jye Caldwell also among the main culprits, GWS largely found a way to convert theirs and led by 10 points at the main change.
Bombers coach Brad Scott looked in disbelief when Jye Menzie sprayed through Essendon's 12th behind, their 10th off the boot, late in the half.
Skipper Merrett stopped the rot when he snapped truly at the start of the third quarter and it turned the match into an arm wrestle.
Alwyn Davey Jr had some tests on his right arm shortly after and went down into the rooms.
The youngster returned to the field midway through the quarter and showed good poise in teeing up Stringer to put the Bombers in front.
GWS regained the lead but when Draper drew the Bombers level again late, it kicked off a run of five consecutive Essendon goals.
Redman kicked a goal on the run to give Essendon a six-point lead at the final change.
Stringer's monster goal from 60m out early in the final term pushed the margin beyond four goals and while the Giants surged late, they were unable to overrun the Bombers.
