2004 Wizard Cup Round 1
Kangaroos vs Melbourne
Saturday 21 February
Venue: Manuka Oval
Attendance: 3227
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Kangaroos | 1.2.2 | 2.5.4 | 2.7.1.6 | 2.10.1.10.91 |
| Melbourne | 1.4.2 | 3.8.3 | 3.10.7 | 4.11.11.113 |
North Melbourne received 3 points for a deliberately rushed behind in the 3rd quarter.
9pt goalkickers: Cameron Bruce 1, Paul Wheatley 1, Jeff White 1, Alistair Nicholson 1
6pt goalkickers: Cameron Bruce 2, Travis Johnstone 2, Peter Vardy 2, Jeff White 1, Paul Wheatley 1, Aaron Davey 1, Russell Robertson 1, Adem Yze 1
Melbourne win by 22 points
On a boiling hot day in the capital, and in front of a tiny crowd, the big disappointments of 2003 went a long way to showing that they were going to be a better side in 2004.
36 degree temperatures greeted the players, and several rule changes were brought into effect to make up for the conditions. Both sides were granted two extra players on the bench and the half-time break was extended.
Several players stood out for Melbourne in the conditions. Jeff White, Cameron Bruce and Peter Walsh were excellent and youngsters like Aaron Davey, Jared Rivers and Brock McLean showed promise.
Darren Jolly broke his nose in the first quarter, and Nathan Brown suffered concussion in the second term but Melbourne weren't troubled. North were unable to score freely.
23 minutes into the first term the Demons were 33 points in front, but North cut the gap to 11 points in the second. The match was then changed by a Jeff White 9pt goal from 90m - he had attempted to pass to David Neitz 40m out but after the captain collided with Glenn Archer the ball bounced over their heads and through the goals. A frustrated Jess Sinclair angrily kicked the ball into the fence and was pinged for a free kick, giving Peter Vardy the simplest of goals. It was possibly the only "15 point play" in AFL history.
After the match Neale Daniher said "It was a good result. It was a very hard-fought game to beat the Kangaroos up here, they are pretty tough up here, I think they are seven from nine, so I thought it was a good tough hit-out and I was very pleased with the way they went about it."