East Sydney vs Melbourne
Saturday 9 July
Venue: SCG
Attendance: 1800 - 2000
| HT | Final | |
| East Sydney | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Melbourne | 1.0 | 2.22 |
Melbourne win by 2 goals
Goalkickers: Rannard 1, Downes 1
The locals had a depleted squad of 23 due to players from other clubs who had arranged to fill-in not showing up. They were forced to rely on replacements because they had players who had not yet returned from a trip to Victoria. Easts played with determination but were destroyed by the visitors who could have had an even bigger victory if they could kick straight.
Melbourne's first behind came soon after the start of play, and after the locals had already been forced to grimly defend their goal. The locals tried hard but didn't play the 'modern' standard of game like their opponents did, often stopping and watching as Melbourne linked up with passes around the ground. They also hurt their own chances with bad kicking, at one point they had a mark 10 yards out from goal but the East Sydney player kicked it into a defender.
The second half started much like the first, with Melbourne immediately on the attack for a behind. For the rest of the game the ball was close to East Sydney's goal and Melbourne added a second goal for insurance and went on to win easily.
Best were Stiffe, Sibley and Pitcher.
Team
Baker, Bailley, Bennie, Boys, Downes, Hill, Lamrock (c), Macdonald, Morris, Power, Pitcher, Rannard, Roberts, Sibley, Stiffe, Syme, Swallow, Swyer, Watson, Wilson.
Notes
Some sources have Melbourne's score as 2.21, and the Sydney side's name as Waratah. Some sources also state that East Sydney's own players didn't turn up rather than the fill-ins, and that their side was eventually bolstered by Sydney players. This article calls it a Sydney/East Sydney combined team and makes no mention of players not showing up.
Media
Daily Telegraph - 09/07/1881
Bendigo Advertiser - 12/07/1881
Australasian - 16/07/1881
Australasian - 16/07/1881
Sydney Mail - 16/07/1881
Advocate - 16/07/1881
Daily Telegraph - 18/07/1881