Round 3, 1956
Footscray vs Melbourne
Saturday 28 April
Venue: Western Oval
Attendance: 33,265
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Footscray | 2.6 | 2.8 | 5.10 | 5.11.41 |
| Melbourne | 1.2 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 9.13.67 |
Melbourne win by 26 points
Goalkickers: Stuart Spencer 3, Robert B Johnson 2, Ian Ridley 2, Ron Barassi 1, Athol Webb 1
Milestones:
Nil
Fielding the same unchanged team for the third time in a row the Demons continued their unbeaten start to the season, gradually overhauling the Bulldogs on their home turf before running away with the game in the final 10 minutes of the last quarter.
With the Bulldogs tiring, the strong ruck work of Denis Cordner fed rovers Stuart Spencer and Ian Ridley who continually drove the Demons into attack. Footscray had better pace and marking all day but as they ran out of gas Melbourne took over and their newfound speed advantage paid off.
The sides were locked together for 15 minutes of the last quarter before the Demons shot away with four quick goals.
Melbourne were not playing at their best, and their forward line failed to fire again, but they remained undefeated after three matches and without a loss since their last visit to the Western Oval in Round 14 the previous year.
Best were Beckwith, Williams and Spencer. Cook was replaced as 19th man in the selected side by Gleeson. Bull replaced Melville (dislocated finger, bruised leg) at three quarter time.
Seconds
Melbourne 16.13 d. Footscray 11.12
Goals - Mountain 4, Tossol 4, Longney 3, Kerr 2, Rogerson 1, Lay 1, Dixon 1
Best - Sandrel, Wilson, Kerr
Thirds
Footscray 6.8 d. Melbourne 2.10
Media
Age - 30/04/1956
Argus - 30/04/1956
Football Record R4 1956