Round 2, 1976
Melbourne vs Footscray
Saturday 10 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 26,707
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 7.4 | 11.5 | 13.7 | 16.9.105 |
| Footscray | 6.4 | 14.4 | 19.11 | 23.15.153 |
Footscray win by 48 points
Goalkickers: Steven Smith 4, Neil Chamberlain 3, Henry Coles 2, Robert Flower 2, Shane Grambeau 2, Allan Davis 1, Shane Fitzsimmons 1
Milestones:
First game and first goal
Paul Goss
Having knocked off the top three teams in the 1975 season in two practice matches and Round 1 the Demons went into their first home game for the year with renewed hope of a glory era, but left four quarters later with their reputation as football's big improvers in tatters.
13 goals between the sides in the first quarter, including the first three to Melbourne, set up and exciting contest, but the Bulldogs kicked away with 13.0 over the next quarter and a half - only the third time it had ever happened in VFL football - to rack up a big win.
New recruit Craig McKellar who had starred against North in Round 1 was thrashed by Gary Dempsey in the middle and eventually replaced with Stephen Smith who battled hard but was still beaten comfortably by Dempsey who also cut the Demons up around the ground with his lightning fast handballs.
13 goals without a miss from the Bulldogs across the second and third quarters was only the third time it had happened in VFL football.
Best were Hardeman, Flower and Fowler. Hardeman (back) was replaced by Keays in the last quarter. Lyons was an unused reserve.
Reserves
Footscray 20.26.146 d. Melbourne 17.6.108
Goals - Graham 3, Walley 3, Walters 3, Rae 2, Woodman 2, Giampaolo 1, Guy 1, Kelly 1, Mills 1
Best - Walters, Kelly, Sullivan
Under 19s
Melbourne 12.12 d. Footscray 9.6
Goals - Fraser 4, Arrundale 3, Tippett 2, Giulieri 1, McKaige 1, Zubin 1
Best - Withers, Zubin, Fergus
Media
Football Record R3 1976
Age - 12/04/1976