Saturday 16 August - Melbourne Ground

Melbourne 3
Past Players 3 (half time 1-3)

The past players had an advantage of 25 to 20, with a mixture of top players from the past and recent years. With their advantage the ex-players scored three easy goals in the first half, and weren't far behind the current day team - keeping them to a single goal in the first half.

Rain fell just before half-time and the ground became soft and slippery. In the second half several heavy showers fell and most of the players were coated with mud. Melbourne present had the better of the game once the rain came, and kicked two goals in a second half shortened by half an hour to force a draw.

Best of the old players were captain Henry Harrison, Charles Forrester and Barker.

William Hammersley was umpire.

Ex-Players
Anthony, Armytage, Aitken, Byrne (vc) , Barker, Bell, Colles, Dowling, Forrester (vc), Hepburn, T. Hope, Haymes, Harrison (c), E. Harrison, Jenvey, Johnson, Norcott, Nicholas, O'Brien, Petrie, Pender, Riggall, Sherrard, Williams, Webb

Current players
Baker, Bennie, Booth, Boys, Downes, Lamrock (vc), Longden, W. Longden, Lempriere, McKie, Macdonald, Murray, Oakley, Power, Sandilands, Sillett (c), Simpson, Swyer, Fairbairn, Waldron

Media
Argus - 16/08/1879
Argus - 18/08/1879
Australasian - 23/08/1879