Round 12 1925

Round 12, 1925
St. Kilda vs Melbourne
Saturday 1 August
Venue: Junction Oval
Attendance: 20,000

Melbourne win by 19 points

Goalkickers: Col Deane 3, Gerry Donnelly 3, Percy Tulloh 2, Harry Davie 1, Ivor Warne-Smith 1

Milestones:
First Game
Frank Richardson

Last Game
Gerry Donnelly

The Seasiders went into the match needing to win to keep their chances of playing finals football alive, and though they lost comfortably their committee had a Plan B on how to take the points and keep themselves in the mix. After the match St Kilda made a protest on the grounds that Melbourne had played an ineligible man. Though Melbourne didn't lose the points it was later decided that Gerry Donnelly had been mistakenly granted a permit to play for the Redlegs when he was residentially bound to play for North Melbourne. Melbourne were allowed to keep the points but were forced to clear Donnelly to North immediately.

On field the match was won in the first half when the high marking, quick Redlegs booted nine goals to four to put the match beyond St Kilda's grasp. Only wild shooting at goal stopped Melbourne opening up an even bigger lead. Melbourne got the first goal of the game before St Kilda replied, but then the visitors booted four in a row to take control at the first change.

A sixth goal almost immediately after the start of the second quarter gave Melbourne a big lead but they were being aided by the St Kilda side making a number of poor mistakes. Melbourne eventually won the quarter four goals to three but could have had a fifth if the umpire hadn't missed Harry Davie being pushed over directly in front of goal. St Kilda kicked a late goal as the result of a mistake in the Melbourne defence, to keep the margin to 31 at the long break.

St Kilda perked up in the third quarter and kept the Redlegs goalless. They only added one of their own, but they were much harder at the ball than in the opening half. The game become fierce and times but never unfair. Melbourne continued to play the better football but were unable to breach the opposing defence. Their own defence continued to keep St Kilda out and the only goal of the term came late in the quarter.

Two minutes into the final term St Kilda got another goal to cut the margin to three straight kicks. Melbourne defended strongly then got the ball forward where another shocking mistake gifted them a goal - an attempted pass in defence being intercepted by Taylor who passed to Donnelly to goal in what would be his last appearance for the club.

Best were Deane, Dunbar and Donnelly in a win which all but ensured Melbourne would appear in the finals for the first time in a decade - with the gap to fifth placed Fitzroy now two and a half wins.

Seconds (played 4 July)
Melbourne 11.11.77 d. St Kilda 7.6.48

Media
Sporting Globe - 01/08/1925
"Melbourne too fast" - The Argus 03/08/1925
"St Kilda's Protest" - The Argus 06/08/1925
Football Record R13 1925