Saturday July 11 - South Melbourne Cricket Ground
Crowd - 6000-7000
Melbourne 0.1
South Melbourne 12.17 (HT 0.1 to 5.11)
South Melbourne win by 12 goals
The worst season so far in Melbourne's history hit rock bottom as they suffered the greatest ever defeat for the club to that point in its history.
On a day without serious effect from the wind, and with otherwise perfect conditions for football South dominated from the kick off. After five minutes they had 1.4, and in a sign of things to come the first goal came from a South player running into an open goal with no opponents within reach.
The second goal was equally as easy, and had South not kicked badly they would have been even further in front. Other than a brief occasion where the reds got the ball up the other end of the field it was total domination. Near the break they battled hard for a behind through McCrindle, but changed ends a long way behind.
Worse was to come, and within two minutes of the restart South had a sixth and they went on with it for a total of 12. They would have had 13 but for a ball which was flying through the goals being disallowed as the bell had rung just as he'd kicked.
Carroll, Baird and A. Coulson were best for Melbourne on a dark day.
Notes
Some sources have the South score as 12.19
Media
The Argus - 13/07/1885
Sportsman - 15/07/1885
Australasian - 18/07/1885
Australasian - 18/07/1885