Round 16, 1985
Carlton vs Melbourne
Saturday 20 July
Venue: Waverley
Attendance: 17,920
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Carlton | 2.4 | 5.7 | 10.13 | 14.15.99 |
| Melbourne | 1.2 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 5.9.39 |
Carlton win by 60 points
Goalkickers: Adrian Battiston 2, Ted Fidge 1, Nigel Kol 1, Shane Zantuck 1
Brownlow Votes:
Nil
Milestones:
Last Game
Kelvin Templeton
50 Games
Rodney Wright (also with North Melbourne)
During the week Ron Barassi had announced that he would retire from coaching at the end of the year. His side had lost the last five and were tumbling rapidly back towards the bottom of the ladder. Only the plight of the awful Saints gave anybody comfort that the Demons weren't going to end up stone motherless last.
In announcing his retirement, initially intended to be for a year only, Barassi lamented his lack of success. He said, “I went there full of expectations and was really excited about the challenge. Now five years later I’m out the door and never achieved the job I went there to do”. Slug Jordon chipped in, saying “everybody loves kicking Barass in the guts. I can’t work out what he’s done to them.
Stand-in skipper Steven Icke, became the fifth man to hold the post that season and go down injured. Flower, Healy, Smith and Giles had all captained the side and been hurt so far year, and Icke was the latest victim with a hamstring injury. 12 of the 20 who played in the Demons win over the Blues earlier in the season were missing from the side that played them the second time.
Despite the crisis the side was in the Demons started brightly. The only problem was that they couldn't kick a score. Danny Hughes and John Fidge were dominating in defence but at the other end Kelvin Templeton was being beaten solidly by a young full-back called Stephen Silvagni. It would be his last game of VFL football. Adrian Battiston brought his side to within a goal 90 seconds into the third quarter, but it was all Carlton from there.
Barassi said his problems were that the Demons were being "overwhelmed", his senior players - the ones who weren't injured - were out of form and the team lacked pace. The end of the year couldn't come quick enough, only Barassi - seemingly ending his coaching career could have wanted it to keep going.
Best were Zantuck, Connolly and Wright
Reserves
Carlton 17.20.122 d. Melbourne 4.8.32
Goals - Tanner 2, Grinter 1, Lyon 1
Best - Richards, Withers, McCarty
Under 19s
Carlton 17.15.117 d. Melbourne 12.10.82
Goals - Marra 4, Sparks 2, Lyon 2, McCarty 1, Brody 1, Hewitson 1, Campbell 1
Best - McCarty, Lyon, Stynes
Video
Links
Blueseum match report
Media
Inside Football - 18/07/1985
Canberra Times - 21/07/1985
Age - 22/07/1985
Football Record R17 1985