Saturday June 27 - MCG
Crowd - "About 7000"
Melbourne 1.8
Carlton 2.14 (HT 1.5 to 1.11)
Carlton win by 1 goal
Goalkicker: Doran 1
Melbourne had played Carlton on the opening day of the season, and their loss on that day was the first of five in a row against senior sides which destroyed their season in the early stages. A two game winning streak had ended Geelong a week earlier against Geelong, and Melbourne crashed to another defeat.
In addition to a poor quality playing surface due to wet weather, Melbourne were without several of their best 20 players - including Morrison, Barry, Spooner, Kelly and Bailey. With that disadvantage they decided to adopt negative tactics, using George Strachan to tag Carlton's star player Baker.
Carlton own the toss, and while a slight wind was blowing the ball became waterlogged a few minutes into the game and that advantage was nullified. Melbourne got the first behind of the game, and they got to half time on level terms, but if Carlton had kicked straight they could have been significantly further in front. In six minutes early in the game they kicked six straight behinds before conceding the first goal through Doran who evaded two opponents before kicking truly.
Each side then traded behinds and play in the middle of the ground before Carlton equalised. They could have had another soon after but hit the post.
The Reds were handicapped in the second half by injuries to Ross and Tuckfield, and even though they stayed on the field their input was limited and Carlton kicked the only goal of the half to win.
Best were Doran, Carroll and Griffiths.
Notes
Other sources give the crowd between 3000 and 8000
Media
Argus - 29/06/1885
Sportsman - 01/07/1885
Australasian - 04/07/1885
Australasian - 04/07/1885