Round 1, 1908
Richmond vs Melbourne
Saturday 2 May
Venue: Punt Road
Attendance: 8000-9000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Richmond | 0.5 | 4.8 | 7.11 | 8.14.62 |
| Melbourne | 3.1 | 6.5 | 6.7 | 7.9.51 |
Richmond win by 11 points
Goalkickers: Alf Jones 2, Jim Fitzpatrick 1, Bill Homan 1, Basil Onyons 1, Jack Smith 1, Bill Tottey 1
Milestones:
First Game
Jack Donaldson
Herb Friend
Alf Jones (and first goal)
Bill Tottey (and first goal)
Only MFC Game
Alex Holland
Last Game
Jack Johnson
Melbourne's first VFL game at Punt Road, against league debutantes Richmond, ended with the founding members on the wrong end of the result. The surface was hard and fast, but the visitors were forced to send in an understrength team and were further weakened when new recruit Holland suffered a serious knee injury in the first quarter which ultimately ended his VFL career.
The visitors withstood early attacks from Richmond, and came out of the first quarter with three goals. Withstanding Richmond's use of the breeze, they still led by nine at half time. Then the newcomers found their feet, kicking three goals to nil in the third term. Melbourne got the first goal of the last quarter to cut the margin to three but couldn't get in front.
Despite their win, Richmond struggled with several aspects of play that were successful in the VFA but didn't translate to the new league.
It took until late in the second quarter for the more vigorous Richmond players to kick three quick goals and get themselves back into the game. They then prospered from kicking down the middle of the ground in the third quarter and had opened a 10 point lead, lasting better in the final term to extend the margin by a further point.
Best were Harris, Tottey and Friend.
Media
Herald - 02/05/1908
Argus - 04/05/1908
Age - 04/05/1908
Punch - 07/05/1908
Richmond Guardian - 09/05/1908
Richmond Guardian - 09/05/1908
Australasian - 09/05/1908