Round 17, 1901
Fitzroy vs Melbourne
Saturday 24 August
Venue: Brunswick Street
Attendance: 16,000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Fitzroy | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 4.13.37 |
| Melbourne | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 3.6.24 |
Fitzroy win by 13 points
Goalkickers: George Cathie 1, Graham Colclough 1, Vin Coutie 1
Milestones:
Last Game
Graham Colclough
Fred McGinis
Last MFC Game
Vic Cumberland
50 Games
Vic Cumberland
With both sides having won comfortably the week before, Melbourne by a then record 102 points against St. Kilda, their last game of the regular season became a winner-takes-all clash to make the finals. The ball was in Melbourne's court, with a one win advantage over their rivals but percentages meant a Fitzroy win would get them in.
Melbourne had lost the important George Moodie with the flu, and he was replaced with the returning Maurie Herring who had not played a game all season. The difference between the two sides in the first quarter was accuracy, with Melbourne kicking goals through Coutie and Colclough while Fitzroy rushed two or three gettable shots.
In the second quarter Fitzroy were again weak forward, but kicked the only goal of the term and cut the gap to nine points. Melbourne shot out of the blocks in the third quarter but failed to take advantage of their dominance and kicked three behinds in a row, two of which could have been goals if Harry Boully had converted better. That was the turning point, and though Fred McGinis bravely saved a goal with a last ditch effort and they had another attacking thrust at the end of the quarter they saw the margin sliced to five points.
Melbourne had led at every change, but were run down in the last quarter with Bert Sharpe kicking three of the Roys four goals for the day to hand them victory and a place in the final four. Melbourne rallied, an a goal to Cathie got them within a goal but it wasn't enough.
Best were McGinis, Cumberland and Rippon. After the game Melbourne visited the Fitzroy rooms to toast the better side over a glass of whisky.
Media
Argus - 26/08/1901
Age - 26/08/1901
Leader - 31/08/1901
Australasian - 31/08/1901