Saturday May 13 - MCG
Crowd - 4000
Melbourne 0.2, 2.5, 2.6 5.8
Port Melbourne 0.0, 0.0, 1.2, 1.2
Goalkickers: David Christy 4, Roche 1
Port were known to dislike the wet, and with half an hour of rain falling before the game began they lived up to their reputation by only kicking one goal for the afternoon.
Despite the conditions the two sides put on a decent standard game in front of a decent crowd. The two sides started with a string of mistakes, but after quarter time few mistakes were made.
Port had some excuses in defeat as they were without their best player, while on the other side Melbourne fielded what was described as their "best twenty they have put into the field for five or six years".
Captain Eddie Fox sprung a tactical surprise on Port, playing six in the ruck at the expense of his forwards but the extra chances created by the talls meant that they were still far too good for their opposition.
Both sides started slowly, with no goals in the first quarter and two behinds for Melbourne the only decent attacks for the entire half. With their best attacker out of the side Port failed to score again in the second quarter too. The home side did manage to get on the scoreboard, with David Christy opening the scoring almost immediately after the restart. He got the second of the opening half as well.
Port attacked first at the start of the third quarter, and did manage to win the quarter one goal to nil and cut the gap to one going into the last quarter. For the third time Christy was Melbourne's saviour, re-establishing the two goal buffer and putting the Reds on their way towards what would ultimately be a comfortable victory. He got the fourth as well before Roche added the exclamation mark with a fifth and final goal to close the day.
Towards the end of the game the Melbourne captain Eddie Fox way struck by on opposition player.
Best was David Christy for his four goals, along with G. Sheahan who had only been selected due to a leg injury to Lew Massey. Herbert Fry was also amongst the best despite it originally thought that he would not be able to play due to injury.
Team
David Christy, Caffrey, Eddie Fox, Herbert Fry, Alf Healing, Howes, McKenzie, McKenzie, McNamara, Pat O'Dea, O'Leary, Powell, Roche, Smith, Stranger, G. Sheahan, Toms, Wilson, Wiseman