Matthew Lloyd says Melbourne officially became a premiership contender on Saturday night when the Demons dismantled Richmond by 34 points.

The Essendon great said he knew the Demons were “going well” prior to Saturday, but the convincing win over the reigning premier was the scalp they needed.

Lloyd was asked on Sportsday whether he thought Melbourne could win the premiership.

“I think they’re good enough to do that, yeah,” Lloyd said.

He said he didn’t see a “collapse” coming like previous seasons.

“This looks as sustainable as anything,” Lloyd said.

Click PLAY below to hear his analysis