In wet conditions on Saturday night - there were fears the game might be delayed because of lightning - the Demons beat the Bulldogs 5.7 (37) to 2.8 (20) at Whitten Oval.
Melbourne are third ahead of next weekend's trip to Adelaide, while Gold Coast's narrow win earlier on Saturday meant the Bulldogs dropped to fifth.
The Bulldogs now have another big game on Friday night in Geelong against the Cats, who are on a 10-game winning streak.
Star Bulldog Isabelle Pritchard also finished Saturday's game on the bench with a knee injury.
The Bulldogs did not kick a goal from 15 minutes into the first term until seven minutes into the last.
Returning from injury, Melbourne captain Kate Hore superbly set up Alyssa Bannan, who marked and goalled early in the third term.
As the Demons lost Sinead Goldrick (leg) and Shelley Heath-Barker (concussion), Bannan also goalled from a free in the third to give them a crucial buffer.
The Bulldogs had their own major injury worry as Pritchard had to leave the ground as well.
Bulldogs star Ellie Blackburn could have given her team an ideal start to the last quarter, but her snapped shot went wide.
Melbourne punished them, moving the ball down the other end. Jordy Allen's excellent pass found Hore, whose goal gave the Demons a three-goal buffer.
Demons half-back Maeve Chaplin had a career-best 31 possessions as midfielders Olivia Purcell and Tyla Hanks shone.
Pritchard was solid for the Bulldogs until her injury and Sarah Hartwig kicked their only goal after quarter time
Earlier on Saturday, the Suns held off a fast-charging Richmond to win by four points and keep in the top-four mix.
The 8.6 (54) to 7.8 (50) home win also eliminated the slight risk that the Suns might not make the finals.
After the Suns broke out to a 20-point lead with the first two goals of the final term, the Tigers had the last nine inside 50s of the game and the last six scoring shots.
But the Tigers closed out the game with 2.4, including two rushed behinds, as Gold Coast defended grimly.
Richmond's losing streak extended to five games, while Gold Coast were down two players for the last quarter - Dekota Brown suffered a nasty head knock in the first quarter and Daisy D'Arcy was concussed in the third.
Brown was initially cleared to keep playing, but then the ARC intervened and eventually she left the field in tears.
Young Suns forward Havana Harris kicked four goals and Niamh McLaughlin was best afield, as Sierra Greaves impressed for the Tigers.
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