Saturday 10 June - MCG
Crowd: "About 5000"
Melbourne 2.8
South Melbourne 2.8 (half time 1-1)
Match Drawn
Goalkickers: Herb Power 1, Charles Power 1
After three straight losses to start the VFA season, Melbourne finally avoided defeat, but rapidly diminishing attendance showed that the public were starting to tire of the side's poor performances.
Based on previous matches between the two South were expected to win easily, but with both sides missing several key players it was the visitors who were affected more.
Melbourne won the toss and kicked with a slight breeze, and with the majority of the crowd gathering around their goal expecting South to kick a number of goals the ball spent most of the time out of bounds in the first 15 minutes. When the ball did go forward it was usually to South's advantage, but against the run of play they conceded first when Herb Power scored for Melbourne and couldn't hit back due to the defensive brilliance of McKenzie.
Shortly before half time South finally equalised, and with both sides playing far better football in the second half they took the lead. C. Power equalised for Melbourne, and South could have had the winner but the goal was disallowed. It caused a spectator to emerge from the crowd and strike at the umpire before being removed from the arena by a South player.
Best were Aitken, C. Power and McKenzie.
Media
Argus - 12/06/1882
Australasian - 17/06/1882