An Olivia Purcell masterclass has propelled Melbourne to a dominant 48-point AFLW win over the Western Bulldogs, despite losing Tayla Harris for the second half.

Purcell finished with a monster haul of one goal, 33 disposals and seven clearances to help the Demons steamroll the hosts 9.8 (62) to 1.8 (14) and retain the Hampson-Hardeman Cup.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tayla Harris suffers painful self-inflicted eye poke.

But the Demons didn’t come out of their fourth straight win over the Bulldogs unscathed, with ruck-forward Harris suffering an eye injury.

Harris showed glimpses of her All Australian best in her first game back from a shoulder injury before being forced out late in the second quarter.

After pulling off a trademark speccy just moments earlier, Harris poked herself in the eye in a marking contest with Bulldogs counterpart Alice Edmond.

Melbourne coach Mick Stinear later said Harris was taken to the eye hospital to be assessed.

“She’s doing OK but just probably in the best possible hands,” he said.

“I think there was contact involved. I think we needed to send her there to get the proper treatment, but she’s doing OK and we’ll know more (soon).

“I’m not expecting anything too sinister there, but certainly needed expert attention.”

Harris, who only played one game last year before surgery on her left shoulder, was seemingly in good spirits.

Stinear laughed as he recounted Harris telling him it was a self-inflicted eye poke.

“That’s what she told me (while) coming off, so yeah,” he said.

“But she was doing OK. We’ll just figure out exactly what’s happening.”

Melbourne, semi-finalists the previous year, missed the top eight in her absence.

Tyla Hanks was just as busy on Saturday with 29 disposals, and kicked two goals to match Kate Hore and Eden Zanker.

The Western Bulldogs had their own returning star, with former skipper Ellie Blackburn collecting 17 touches through managed minutes.

Blackburn was limited to three games last season before hurting her foot.

Jasmyn Smith was the Bulldogs’ main ball winner with 21 disposals.

Demons debutant Maggie Mahoney was denied the first goal of the game on the line by Bulldogs defender Issy Grant.

Melbourne found the opener from an unlikely source, defender Shelley Heath breaking through almost 13 minutes into the first quarter.

It was Heath’s fifth goal in her eighth AFLW season.

Demons skipper Hore then hit the scoreboard to help set up a 12-point lead at halftime after intercepting a dangerous kick-out meant for Grant.

Heidi Woodley slotted the home side’s first and only goal after winning a scrap in the second quarter.

Bulldogs midfielder Jess Fitzgerald could have reduced the halftime deficit after the siren but hit the post with her set shot.

Melbourne’s ascendancy continued well into the second half, building a 39-point lead after kicking 4.3 against the scoreless Bulldogs in the third quarter.

- with 7NEWS