Round 2, 1978
Melbourne vs Fitzroy
Saturday 8 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 15,613
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 4.7 | 14.15 | 20.20 | 24.23.167 |
| Fitzroy | 5.3 | 8.7 | 16.13 | 23.19.157 |
Melbourne win by 10 points
Goalkickers: Garry Baker 3, Ray Biffin 3, Robert Flower 3, Peter Johnston 3, Ross Brewer 2, Henry Coles 2, Peter Thorne 2, Greg Wells 2, Colin Graham 1, Andrew Moir 1, Phil Seaton 1, Steven Smith 1
Milestones:
First game and first goal
Peter Thorne
Two teams coming off disappointing opening rounds fought out an exciting clash in the second week of the season. Melbourne had been thrashed by Hawthorn and the Lions had been beaten by wooden spooners St. Kilda.
Denis Jones was relieved to rack up his first win as a coach, and it was the second quarter that gave his side the platform for victory. 10.8 to 3.4 blew the Lions away and the Demons earned a standing ovation from the members as they left the ground.
When they kicked the first three goals of the third quarter and stretched the lead to eleven goals it looked impossible for the Lions to hit back, but a drastic reshuffle of their lineup helped them to eight goals in sixteen minutes, and by midway through the last quarter they were within three points.
Reserve Andrew Moir came off the bench to kick one goal and set Greg Wells up for another to steady the Demons and give them the win despite Bob Beecroft's nine goal haul. The score is Melbourne's equal 14th highest in VFL/AFL competition.
Melbourne's best were Coles, Wells and Smith. There were two changes to the selected side, Byrne (ankle), and Grambeau (knee) were replaced by Thorne and Woodman respectively. Thorne was originally named on the bench and his spot was taken by Walters.
Reserves
Fitzroy 21.16.142 d. Melbourne 18.15.123
Goals - Clarke 3, Flower 3, Fuller 3, Cooke 2, Durnan 2, Hunnibell 2, Alves 1, McKellar 1, Tippett 1
Best - Code, Begg, Thompson
Under 19s
Fitzroy 15.17.107 d. Melbourne 14.13.97
Goals - De Munk 5, Juliffe 2, Maynard 2, Angelis 1, Bocabella 1, Mobbs 1, Moncrieff 1, Sadaskaus 1
Best - De Munk, Maynard, Marchant
Lists
Highest Scores
Media
Age - 10/04/1978
Football Record R3 1978