Round 13, 1941
Melbourne vs South Melbourne
Saturday 26 July
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 23,110
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 5.2 | 8.6 | 14.11 | 18.16.124 |
| South Melbourne | 2.4 | 4.5 | 10.9 | 10.13.73 |
Melbourne win by 51 points
Goalkickers: Adrian Dullard 4, Ron Baggott 3, Percy Beames 3, Norm Smith 3, Jack Mueller 2, Roy Dowsing 1, Rowley Fischer 1, Maurie Gibb 1
Milestones:
Nil
Other than Melbourne, South had been one of the most in-form teams in the competition over previous weeks - rising from last to sixth and within striking distance of the finals after a string of victories.
Their big test came against the Demons, also on a hot streak having defeated two of their top four rivals in the last month. Melbourne had struggled to beat South in their first meeting of 1941, but that was before they struck top form and on this day they led from almost start to finish. South had three behinds early from hurried snaps, before the Demons piled on five in a row to effectively killed the contest. South's pacy players were slowed by the heavy conditions, and though they put a couple of decent periods together they weren't good enough to overhaul the deficit.
The visitors should have had the first goal of the second quarter, but were not handling teh conditions well and fell to steady pressure. Melbourne held the advantage in the air, before South finally broke through and cut the margin
to a goal. They couldn't find the equaliser, and Melbourne shot away with the last three goals of the half. A Dowsing major on the bell extended the gap to 25.
South got a run on and kicked six goals in the third quarter they also conceded six to leave them in roughly the same position as they had been at half time. South battled through the last quarter but were unable to trouble Melbourne, who moved to the top of the ladder after only entering the top four a month earlier.
Baggott, Dullard and Lock were best. Lenne replaced Hington (injured shoulder) in the last quarter.
Seconds
Melbourne 12.9 d. South Melbourne 8.11
Notes
Sporting Globe gives the official attendance as 23,108
Dowsing may have replaced Heal after the selected side was named.
Media
Sporting Globe - 26/07/1941
Football Record R14 1941