Round 14, 1930
Collingwood vs Melbourne
Saturday 16 August
Venue: Victoria Park
Attendance: 15,000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Collingwood | 3.4 | 3.8 | 7.11 | 15.14.104 |
| Melbourne | 1.3 | 3.3 | 7.6 | 8.9.57 |
Collingwood win by 47 points
Goalkickers: Richard Taylor 3, Robert C Johnson 2, George Margitich 2, Reg Conole 1
Milestones:
Nil
Melbourne went into the match having won just 12 of 71 matches against Collingwood since the formation of the VFL, and despite riding high inside the top four their run of bad luck against the Magpies continued. On a boggy ground the sides put together a good exhibition of slogging football, but Collingwood's teamwork gave them the advantage of Melbourne's individuality.
A mid-week match on Victoria Park made conditions even worse, and the ground was said to have been in its worst state for 20 years. Despite the ground staff spending the morning extracting water from the field the only place players could get any sort of decent footing was on the wings. The conditions heavily handicapped Melbourne, who were already missing Stan Wittman after an injury against St Kilda, but they used the wings to their advantage for the first three terms before falling apart.
The wind was not a major factor, with Melbourne failing into it in the first quarter then holding the Pies to four points in the second term. Collingwood adapted better to wet-weather football early, cutting the frills out of their games and punching the ball on when they couldn't take a safe mark. With sunshine back and the ground beginning to dry out, Conole got his side's first goal but Collingwood had three and the margin was 13 at quarter time.
Points were scarce in the second quarter, with Collingwood scoring the only two to midway through the term. Melbourne were vigorous but unable to capitalise on their good work. It took Johnson marking directly in front and converting to get the first major of the quarter, before Taylor reduced the gap to four points with his side's third goal.
On resuming Melbourne took the lead through Johnson, then extended the gap to seven via Taylor. Two goals in two minutes restored Collingwood's lead, before the Demons hit the front again. A defensive lapse let the Pies in late in the quarter, and they went into the final term five points ahead.
Melbourne got the first goal of the last quarter to hit the front again, before disappearing in the face of Collingwood's strong attack.
After a poor first quarter the Reds held Collingwood to four behinds in the second quarter, and matched them with four goals in the third to be just five points behind at the last change before being blown away by an eight goal to one avalanche. Melbourne's one goal had actually been the first of the quarter, giving them the lead but from then Collingwood ran them ragged.
Best were Tymms, Pemberton and Conole. 19th man was McDonald.
Despite the loss Melbourne remained third, a game clear of Richmond and two of Geelong and Essendon.
Seconds
Melbourne 13.15 d. Collingwood 7.12
Media
Sporting Globe - 16/08/1930
Labor Call - 21/08/1930
Football Record R15 1930