Round 22, 1977
Collingwood vs Melbourne
Saturday 27 August
Venue: Waverley
Attendance: 36,306
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Collingwood | 4.2 | 10.5 | 15.10 | 17.13.115 |
| Melbourne | 2.4 | 4.8 | 9.11 | 14.17.101 |
Collingwood win by 14 points
Goalkickers: Henry Coles 4, Ray Biffin 3, Ross Brewer 3, Michael Byrne 1, Des Campbell 1, Steven Smith 1, Greg Wells 1
Milestones:
Last Game
Des Campbell (and 50 games)
Graham Osborne
John Sparks
Last MFC Game
Allan Davis
Peter Keays
Last game as coach
Bob Skilton
No longer at risk of the wooden spoon after their win over St Kilda a fortnight earlier, the Demons played their second match in a row against a top two side and once again gave a credible performance.
In the same round a year earlier the Demons had consigned Collingwood to their first ever wooden spoon and almost stolen a finals berth, and 12 months later the roles were neatly reversed. Collingwood were minor premiers and on their way to a grand final while Melbourne were also-rans with a coach who was on the way out.
Ray Biffin kicked 3.8 after earlier claiming he was going to retire after the match, but it was Henry Coles - a Magpie reject - who returned from suspension to boot four goals which dragged his new side back from 51 points behind midway through the third quarter to just eight points down in the final term.
When Colin Graham and Peter Johnston replaced Peter Keays and Graham Osborne at three-quarter time it would be the last time Demon players would be permanently substituted off until the rule was reintroduced in Round 1, 2011.
Tom Hafey, linked to the Demons as a possible coach two years before, blasted his opposition after the match, suggesting that the players should get a boot up the backside for letting the supporters down. He said that they were better than being second last on the ladder.
Bob Skilton finished his 22 year football career on a losing note but said that whoever followed him had the makings of a premiership side.
Best were Coles, R. Flower and T. Flower. Fitzsimmons was replaced by Smith in the selected side. Keays and Osborne were replaced by Graham and Johnston at three quarter time.
Reserves
Collingwood 18.14.122 d. Melbourne 14.10.94
Goals - Giampaolo 3, Baldwin 2, Marchant 2, Thorne 2, Woodman 2, Carroll 1, Kelly 1, Walters 1
Best - Giampaolo, Hamilton, Moir
Under 19s
Melbourne 19.12.126 d. Collingwood 14.13.97
Media
Age - 29/08/1977