For the second successive week, Melbourne's resistance was useless.

Not quite as useless as it - and the Demons - were against Geelong last week, but useless just the same as Chris Judd led Carlton to a 76-point smashing to cap Melbourne's AFL week from hell.

Judd and the Blues put on a second-quarter masterclass in the 21.8 (134) to 7.16 (58) victory at the MCG to cement their top-four spot.

And contained within was a lesson to Melbourne in just how far they are off the competition pace.

The Demons' past five defeats have been by an average of 94 points, and the club's knife-work on previous coach Dean Bailey during the week did little to change things.

With gravely ill Demons president Jim Stynes out of hospital and at the game, at least Melbourne - under caretaker coach Todd Viney - offered a first 20 minutes of promise.

Then Judd jumped a steamroller and his Blues teammates hopped aboard.

What followed was a team playing with unbridled enthusiasm crushing one bereft of confidence, especially in a superb second term.

The Blues played crisp, fluid football which the Demons can only dream of - and look years away from being able to play.

Melbourne were smashed at the clearances, battered at the contested ball, and Judd surely pocketed another three umpire votes as he seemingly marches towards a third Brownlow Medal.

His second quarter was simply sublime.

Judd had 12 disposals at 100 per cent efficiency, four clearances, two tackles and two goals - one a remarkable left-foot shot from the right forward pocket only the freakish can convert.

It was among 11 unanswered goals the Blues rained on the Demons from late in the first quarter until the six-minute mark of the third, when Melbourne's best Jack Watts kicked his second.

But while Carlton coach Brett Ratten was thrilled with Judd's contribution, he felt his side lacked urgency at times - especially as Melbourne's good first-quarter effort was let down by poor goalkicking.

"I thought we were really lucky at the start. We were reactive, second to the ball and we had a fair bit of brilliance from Judd and his influence on the game was outstanding," Ratten said.

Judd finished with 31 possessions and had great support from fellow midfielders Bryce Gibbs and Marc Murphy, while ruckman Robbie Warnock also dominated.

Ratten was also heartened by the Blues' 14 individual goalkickers - small forward David Ellard finishing with three majors.

Viney felt his side's effort had improved from the Geelong debacle, but lamented the Demons' inability to kick straight in the first term when they recorded a wayward 3.7.

"For at least three quarters, the effort was really good. They hung in there. The second quarter, we got blown out of the water," Viney said.

Melbourne's day was made worse with a badly broken leg to young defender James Strauss and utility Luke Tapscott taken to hospital with a neck injury.

Strauss fell to the ground awkwardly in a marking contest and broke both bones in his lower leg.

Tapscott was hammered by teammate Stefan Martin in a fourth-term collision, was knocked out and left the field in a neck brace.

Both were taken to hospital after the match - Strauss expected to have surgery on Saturday night.

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