Coach Brad Scott is imploring Essendon to maintain perspective after an upset 45-point win over Melbourne prevented a low point in the club's history.

The Bombers stunned the Demons with a 17.11 (113) to 10.8 (68) triumph at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

The victory ends a 17-game winless stretch for the Bombers - another defeat and it would have been the longest losing streak in the club's history.

"We haven't mentioned it once," Scott said of the streak.

Powered by Archie Roberts (42 disposals, one goal), Darcy Parish (33 touches) and Zach Merrett (31, one goal), the Bombers booted 11 goals to two in the last half.

"It's satisfying, that's for sure," Scott said.

"Sometimes, the reality is you just need some reward for the effort.

"Because it's hard to see the the positive progress and the things moving in the right direction when you're not getting the result."

But Scott said the victory must be kept in perspective.

"I'm really pleased for the players to get that reward," he said.

"I'm really pleased for our supporters, who have been through a really tough time, I'm really pleased for the club.

"But perspective is important. It's not like we have done anything miraculous, so we have still got a hell of a lot of work to do."

Melbourne's first-year coach Steven King had a similar sentiment about improvement required from his team after slipping to a second loss from five games.

"When you're lethargic and not quite at your sharpest, every phase of the game is difficult," King said.

"I just bring it back to: how unconditional are we with being ruthless, selfless and connected with one another in the game?

"And that's the foundation of our game, that's how I want us to be known as a footy club, and we lowered our colours in that today."

Essendon's Isaac Kako, Archer May, Nate Caddy, Tom Edwards and Xavier Duursma all kicked two goals.

In contrast, Melbourne's Kysaiah Pickett (two goals, 28 disposals) was his side's only multiple scorer, and teammate Christian Salem suffered an ankle injury.

The Bombers held a 3.5 to 3.1 edge at the end of a first quarter highlighted by a classy goal from Melbourne's Latrelle Pickett.

But the Demons skipped 19 points clear 22 minutes into the second term, before Essendon scored two crucial late majors to reduce their halftime deficit to just six points.

The Bombers then made a decisive move, cashing in on midfield dominance to score a half-dozen goals to one in a slick third term.

Essendon sealed victory with four goals in a six-minute period in the final quarter, a spree triggered by a stunning snap from near a boundary line by former skipper Merrett.