Melbourne have stamped their premiership credentials against finals contenders Gold Coast as they cruised to a 49-point triumph in Daisy Pearce's milestone match at Metricon Stadium.
The Demons (7-1) continued their charge toward a top-two finish with a masterclass in controlling the ball and territory on their way to a 9.4 (58) to 1.3 (9) victory on Saturday night.
There were ominous signs early for the Suns as the ball lived in the Demons' forward 50 through much of the opening term, although it took the visitors more than 10 minutes to slot their first goal.
That opener came from Pearce in her 50th match after the veteran outsmarted and outmarked Suns key defender Vivien Saad at the top of the goalsquare to spark the Demons.
The 34-year-old Pearce would go on to collect 11 disposals in another inspirational display that had her teammates cheering her name after the match.
It took the Suns until the last minute of the first term to even move the ball into their forward 50 as the Demons set up a wall that helped them finish with an incredible 45-9 inside 50 advantage.
The Dees also limited the Suns' opportunities by looking to maintain possession themselves, with Olivia Purcell (32 disposals), Lily Mithen (21) and Eliza West (19, 11 tackles) influential with their neat disposal.
Star key forward Tayla Harris made sure that the Demons made the most of their dominance with three goals, while Eden Zanker and Kate Hore each finished with two.
While the final score arguably flattered the Suns (4-4) it was crucial that they fought out the second half to prevent a blowout that would have further hit their percentage and therefore finals hopes.
Charlie Rowbottom battled hard to gather 18 disposals with 12 of them contested, along with nine tackles, as the Suns' young gun more than matched one of the top midfields in the competition.
Alison Drennan (20 touches), Claudia Whitfort (16), Lucy Single (16) and Lauren Ahrens (14) also stood out, while Jac Dupuy kicked the only goal for the Suns on a tough night.
The Suns will seek to rejuvenate their hopes of a top-eight finish when they host Carlton on Friday night, while the Demons will look to fine-tune before finals when they face Essendon on Sunday.
