Round 16, 1965
Melbourne vs Geelong
Saturday 14 August
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 44,753
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 4.3 | 6.5 | 8.6 | 11.7.73 |
| Geelong | 1.1 | 7.6 | 13.9 | 16.11.107 |
Geelong win by 34 points
Goalkickers: Ken Emselle 4, Barrie Vagg 3, Kerry Rattray 2, John Townsend 2
Milestones:
Last Game
Hugh Bromell
Brian Leahy
In a drastic attempt to keep their finals chances alive against fellow top four contenders Geelong the Demons selection committee ruthlessly axed centre half-forward Ray Groom and full-forward Peter McLean, replacing them with ruckmen Bryan Kenneally and Graeme Jacobs up forward.
A loss would be all but fatal to their finals chances, and the Demons played like their footballing lives depended on the result during the first quarter. They opened up a four goal lead with breathless running football and it looked like Melbourne would prolong their premiership hopes by at least one more week.
Vicious attack on the ball and a steel trap defence helped Melbourne open up their lead but the next three quarters were a near perfect exhibition of football by the visitors. Six goals to two in the second quarter, including the first four goals with no reply, gave Geelong the lead and though they were never completely out of the game Melbourne never hit the front again.
With three games left the Demons were now a game and 17% outside the top four, and with a clash against 2nd placed Collingwood facing them the next week. They were mathematically alive but for all intents and purposes the season, and as it turns out the club's glory era, was over.
Hassa Mann was replaced in the selected side by Rattray due to flu.
Reserves
Geelong 10.10 d. Melbourne 9.13
Goals - Sheppard 3, Vearing 1, Quirk 1, Stone 1, Bartlett 1, Andrew 1, Gallus 1
Best - Sheppard, Doyle, Vearing
Under 19s
Melbourne 12.20 d. Geelong 7.3
Goals - Osborne 4, Bates 2, Knape 1, Corrigan 1, Harris 1, Stewart 1, Saddington 1, Marr 1
Best - Stewart, Osborne, Corrigan
Media
Football Record R17 1965
Age - 13/08/1965
Age - 16/08/1965