Saturday 4 May - MCG
Crowd: 8500
Melbourne 2.5, 5.6, 8.9, 10.10
South Melbourne 1.1, 3.2, 6.4, 7.8
Melbourne win by 3 goals
Goalkickers: Girdlestone 3, Moodie 2, McCarthy 2, Moysey 1, McGinis 1, Swannie 1
In the match of the day, the second and third best teams of 1894 opened the season against each other. Melbourne had the advantage of a more settled side, with only two new players compared to South's eight.
The game started with high quality, with Melbourne's ruck division quickly asserting their superiority, but dropped off as the afternoon went on. Players crowding the ball caused the game to become a series of unattractive scrimmages. A series of little marks helped Melbourne open the scoring after eight minutes, and strong defence helped them retain the lead at quarter time.
South's defence also fired and kept the margin close, but the game opened up in the third quarter. Four of six goals were kicked within five minutes.
South had all the play in the second half but their forwards were too poor to make anything of it.
Best were McGinis, Christy and Moody.
Notes
Argus says South had seven new players, Australasian says eight.
Media
Argus - 06/05/1895
Age - 06/05/1895
Australasian - 11/05/1895