Melbourne have overcome a rare lightning delay and a frenetic West Coast comeback to post a thrilling nine-point AFL win at Optus Stadium.
The Demons were leading 69-36 with 16 minutes remaining in the final quarter of Monday night's match when players were ordered off the field due to lightning approaching the stadium.
Under AFL rules, a match can be delayed for up to an hour before the leading team is awarded the win.
Play resumed about 30 minutes later, and goals to Josh Kennedy, Nic Naitanui, and Connor West closed the margin to 17 points with six minutes remaining.
Jack Darling's mark and goal with 80 seconds left made it a nine-point ball game, and the Demons had to endure several more nervy moments at the death before holding on for the 10.12 (72) to 9.9 (63) victory.
The result lifted Melbourne to the top of the ladder, with the Demons now half a win ahead of the Western Bulldogs, Geelong, and Port Adelaide in the race for the minor premiership.
West Coast (10-10) face a major fight to secure a top-eight berth, with the Eagles facing fellow finals aspirants Fremantle and St Kilda in the final two rounds.
Demons trio Clayton Oliver (28 disposals, nine clearances), Christian Petracca (28 possessions, one goal), and James Harmes (25 disposals, one goal) racked up big numbers in the win.
Melbourne spearhead Ben Brown booted three goals to continue his recent purple patch, while big man Luke Jackson was impressive with 21 disposals and three contested marks.
Eagles midfielder Elliot Yeo racked up 31 possessions and a whopping 14 clearances, while forwards Darling, Kennedy, and Jamie Cripps kicked two goals apiece.
The match was delicately poised midway through the third quarter when the Demons led by just six points.
But a four-goal burst by Melbourne to finish the term extended the margin to 32 points at the final change, before lightning interfered early in the last quarter.
West Coast threw everything at the contest when play finally resumed, with the Demons left to hang on for dear life right until the final siren.
Demons forward Tom McDonald (back) and Eagles defender Liam Duggan (knee) were late scratchings for the match.
And the injuries continued in the first term, with West Coast veteran Shannon Hurn (hamstring) and Demons defender Jayden Hunt (ankle) suffering game-ending complaints.
Melbourne shot out to a 26-6 lead, but West Coast worked their way back into the match once the rain stopped and would have taken a lead into half-time if it wasn't for Kysaiah Pickett's 48m set shot on the siren.
The Demons made the match-winning move late in the third term, with Jake Melksham booting two goals in succession in between majors to James Harmes and Brown.
Eagles forward Kennedy spent most of the third term off the field with a right knee injury, but he was able to return and play a key role in the post-lightning fightback.
