Round 3, 1972
Collingwood vs Melbourne
Saturday 15 April
Venue: Victoria Park
Attendance: 25,172
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Collingwood | 2.6 | 7.7 | 9.8 | 17.11.113 |
| Melbourne | 3.3 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 6.12.48 |
Collingwood win by 65 points
Goalkickers: Ray Carr 3, Greg Wells 2, Graham Molloy 1
Milestones:
Nil
Having lost the first two games of the season, Ian Ridley delivered a savage blast to his players at training during the week. Arranging his players for an intra-club match he was overhead to say "Get out and tackle hard. If you hear the whistle twice, you'll know there is a squib on the ground". John Letcher was a casualty after suffering strained knee ligaments, and both reserves player Mal Crawford and Stephen Kerley were also hurt.
So if "Tiger" was unhappy before the match against the Pies imagine what his mood was like after. The Demons took a lead into quarter time, and were in touch at the last change before a limp and lifeless last quarter let Collingwood rack up a win of more than ten goals.
It was only Collingwood's second win since July 1971, but early on it didn't look like happening. Peter Keenan and John Clennett were dominating the bounces, and the rovers were taking away the clearances with ease.
The Demons best were the two ruckmen and Greg Wells but it would hardly have been consolation to Ridley who saw his side already on the verge of a ruined season despite the increase to a final five.
Best were Keenan, Clennett and Wells. Carr and Rollinson were replaced by Parke and Walker respectively during the last quarter.
It was Melbourne's eighth straight loss against the Pies and their lowest score against them since 1960.
Reserves
Melbourne 11.24 d. Collingwood 9.11
Goals - McSpeerin 4, Dilnot 2, Burgmann 1, Gallus 1, Morgan 1, Ritterman 1, Taylor 1
Best - McSpeerin, Collins, Brewer
Under 19s
Collingwood 20.14 d. Melbourne 16.17
Goals - Macdonald 4, McGuinness 3, Rowlands 3, Moore 2, Slade 2, Boyce 1, McMullin 1
Best - Mackenzie, McMullin, G. Macdonald
Media
Age - 12/04/1972
Age - 17/04/1972
Inside Football - 22/04/1972
Football Record R4 1972