Round 18, 1965
Melbourne vs Footscray
Saturday 28 August
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 19,532
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 1.3 | 7.3 | 10.9 | 10.12.72 |
| Footscray | 4.2 | 6.3 | 8.9 | 10.15.75 |
Footscray win by 3 points
Goalkickers: Rob Foster 2, Bryan Kenneally 2, John Townsend 2, Barrie Vagg 2, Ken Emselle 1, Don Williams 1
Milestones:
First Game
Rick Feldmann
Only MFC Game
Bob Gormly
Last Game
Robert Miller
David Robbie
Last MFC Game
Peter McLean
Debuting two players in front of a disappointing end of season crowd there was more interest in whether Footscray could win and jump Fitzroy and Hawthorn in the wooden spoon race than anything the Demons did.
Starting the day in the last place the Bulldogs played fearless play-on football in the first quarter to take a lead but when Norm Smith switched Tassie Johnson onto the dangerous Ted Whitten, who already had two goals, the Demons got back into the game and a six goal to two second quarter put Melbourne in front at half time.
Footscray controversially had a goal disallowed in the third quarter. The goal umpire tried to separate warring players after a free kick had been awarded to the Dogs, but when Vosilaitis fired out a quick handball to Ted Whitten and Whitten booted the ball through the goals there was no goal umpire there to signal the score as he was still running back to his line. The goal umpire and field umpire conferred and somehow decided to award a point.
Thanks to the umpiring hijinks Melbourne were still two goals in front at the last break and looked set to at least end a terrible year on a high note but didn't reckon on Footscray follower Kevin Stevens who took seven marks in the final term as his side restricted the home team to three behinds, falling over the line by three points.
Both the Lions and Hawks lost and Footscray were spared the dreaded wooden spoon, but even more humiliating than the Bulldogs finishing 10th was Melbourne's 7th place.
Best were Dixon, Townsend and Emselle. Johnson (corked leg) was replaced by McLean at three quarter time and Wise (corked leg) by Alves in the last quarter.
Reserves
Melbourne 13.15 d. Footscray 10.11
Goals - Knape 3, Vearing 2, Bartlett 2, Rattray 1, Wynd 1, Gallus 1, McNab 1, Lord 1, Andrew 1
Best - Gallus, Vearing, Knape
Under 19s
Melbourne 17.8 d. Footscray 8.3
Media
Age - 30/08/1965