1993 Fosters Cup Round 1
Melbourne vs Collingwood
Wednesday 17 February
Venue: Princes Park
Attendance: 11,665
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 3.2 | 6.4 | 7.8 | 9.11.65 |
| Collingwood | 1.5 | 3.8 | 7.10 | 8.13.61 |
Melbourne win by 4 points
Goalkickers: Darren Cuthbertson 3, Allen Jakovich 2, Stephen Tingay 1, Steven Febey 1, Michael Pickering 1, David Neitz 1
The first round Fosters Cup game was scheduled to be played at Waverley, but had to be moved to Princes Park due to the abysmal state of the VFL Park turf.
The league was required to pay the Victorian Cricket Association $10,000 to use the ground in February, with the game not confirmed to be going ahead until the day before. The game would have been postponed for a week if the VCA didn't allow it to happen. Only two 'special games' were allowed to be played at the ground every year, and this counted as one of them. 3AW requested rights to broadcast the 5.15pm game but were denied. Melbourne claimed that a smaller crowd at Princes Park would cost them $20,000 in membership sales.
Allen Jakovich started strongly, kicking two of Melbourne's first three goals for the day, but soon became the first AFL player to be reported for wrestling and was suspended for one game. He also suffered bruised ribs during the first quarter and left the game, clashing verbally with a Collingwood trainer as he left the field. When the result came down on the Monday night, Jakovich said: "I didn't even start the bloody thing", and tribunal chairman Neil Busse replied "I think it would be wise to leave the room".
The Demons opened up a 27 point lead midway through the second quarter, but as best on ground Stephen Tingay faded out of the game the Magpies came back into contention. Tingay and Matthew Febey rallied in the last quarter and helped the Demons hold on until Steven Febey kicked the goal that put Melbourne ahead with a minute left to play.
Best were Tingay, S. Febey and M. Febey. Jakovich suffered bruised ribs.
Speaking about his first win over an AFL side, Neil Balme said: "There was a fair bit of pressure in the last quarter but I love football and really did enjoy it."
Video
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Age - 16/02/1993, 17/02/1993, 18/02/1993, 20/02/1993, 23/02/1993
Canberra Times - 18/02/1993, 23/02/1993