Monday 25 May - MCG
Crowd - 500
Melbourne 7.16
Port Adelaide 4.6 (half time 4.11 to 2.1)
Melbourne win by 3 goals
Goalkickers: Charles Coulson 2, Plant 2, Collie 1, McCrindle 1, Stubbs 1
The visiting South Australians were not a big draw in comparison to the Geelong vs Hotham being played at the nearby East Melbourne ground, but the few fans who attended saw Melbourne's first win away missed Melbourne's first win in any match for the year. After opening the season with four VFA losses, they attacked first against the interstate visitors, but only registered early behinds to Albert and Charles Coulson. Charles converted the first goal from a place kick, receiving a free after having the ball kicked from his hands while trying to mark.
Stubbs and McCrindle also added behinds, before Port kicked a long goal from a difficult angle. That goal shifted the momentum, and when George Aitken was penalised for holding the ball, the visitors goalled from 60 yards to take the lead.
Melbourne attacked again after the restart, and after three quick behinds, Ross seized a throw-in and set up Plant for the equaliser. They remained on the top for the rest of the first half, with Charles Coulson putting the locals back in front with his second before the break.
McCrindle got the first goal of the second half, but Port goalled from a free kick, then had a purple patch with three behinds. They appeared to have the upper hand before Stubbs converted after a pass from Carroll.
with a goal of their own followed by three behinds. They appeared to be gaining the upper hand before the reds extracted the ball and got it forward to Stubbs who scored the fifth for his side. Port got a fourth, but Melbourne booted three more goals to register a comfortable win.
Best were Carroll, Tuckfield and C. Coulson.
Selected team
George Aitken (c), Affleck, Baillie, Brayshay, Carroll, Champion, Albert Coulson, Charles Coulson, Collie, Franks, Harry, Moss, Morrison, McCrindle, Plant, Propsting, Rush (vc), Robinson, Robinson, Spooner, Stub, Tuckfield, Taylor and Willis.
Notes
Newspaper reports show Melbourne's half time score as four goals but only describe three being scored.
Media
Argus - 25/05/1885
Argus - 26/05/1885
Evening Journal - 26/05/1885
Adelaide Observer - 30/05/1885
Australasian - 30/05/1885