Round 12, 1996
Brisbane Bears vs Melbourne
Saturday 22 June
Venue: Gabba
Attendance: 14,871
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Brisbane | 4.5 | 8.8 | 15.10 | 18.15.123 |
| Melbourne | 3.0 | 4.2 | 5.6 | 6.10.46 |
Brisbane win by 77 points
Goalkickers: David Neitz 2, Stephen Tingay 2, Jeff Farmer 1, Matthew Febey 1
Brownlow Votes:
Nil
Milestones:
Nil
Statistical categories led:
Biggest loss and lowest score against the Brisbane Bears.
Biggest loss at the Gabba
Last game against Brisbane Bears
After two wins in a row the Demons crashed back to earth with a big loss.
Melbourne's last game against the Brisbane Bears before they merged and became the Brisbane Lions ended in the same result as their first in 1987 albeit with a much larger margin. After losing Garry Lyon from the selected side with a back injury, their forward line was almost non-existent. When they went forward it usually ended in the Bears counter-attacking, to the point where Neil Balme said after the game "Every time it went forward we started to worry that they were about to kick a goal". The coach tried various combinations but could only rustle up six goals.
Things were so easy for the Bears that playing assistant coach Roger Merrett sat on the bench for three quarters before entering the game when it had been long won.
Best were Tingay, M. Febey and B. Lovett. Garry Lyon was replaced in the selected side with Michael Polley.
Reserves
Richmond 18.14.122 d. Melbourne 11.15.81
Goals - Norman 2, O'Brien 2, Sampson 2, Hilton 1, Nash 1, Polley 1, D. Yze 1, Tobin 1
Best - O'Brien, Hilton, Davidson
Media
Age - 24/06/1996
Football Record R13 1996