Round 4, 1983
Melbourne vs Carlton
Saturday 16 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 38,544
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 4.2 | 9.2 | 11.6 | 13.12.90 |
| Carlton | 1.6 | 6.13 | 13.14 | 14.15.99 |
Carlton win by 9 points
Goalkickers: Les Bamblett 3, Peter Giles 3, Gerard Healy 3, Chris Connolly 1, Tony Elshaug 1, Robert Flower 1, Alan Jarrott 1
Milestones:
Nil
Another day, another close loss for the Demons who continued to impress without taking four points home. In a game marked by tough, aggressive play both Steven Icke and Adrian Battiston were carried off on stretchers. Battiston swalled his tongue and had to be given oxygen before being taken to hospital for observation. Icke had to be restrained from running back on the field after being taken off but returned to action in the third term.
Despite the Blues having had one more scoring shot in the wet first quarter the Demons led by 14 points, and the conditions didn't get better until halfway through the second. The Blues edged back into the lead at half-time before shooting away in the third quarter with seven goals to two in an avalanche that started within the first minute. Carlton coach David Parkin said: "once the game got to the nitty gritty they got tired", partly due to Battiston's absence after a clash with two Blues players.
The Demons fought back and after goals to Les Bamblett and Robert Flower they were back to nine points behind midway through the last term, but the more experienced Blues held on to win.
"If we'd played like that against Footscray and Collingwood" we'd have won said Ron Barassi. The coach identified Carlton as his early season premiership favourite.
Best were Giles, Jarrott and Dickson. Blue Daryl Gilmore kicked three goals on debut and never played another game.
Reserves
Carlton 27.11.173 d. Melbourne 11.7.73
Goals - Barnes 4, Cordner 2, Rugolo 2, Templeton 2, Philby 1
Best - Castles, Joycey, Reynolds
Under 19s
Melbourne 16.9.105 d. Carlton 11.11.77
Goals - Fidge 3, Yeats 3, Thomas 2, Grinter 1, Healy 1, Howard 1, Hutchinson 1, McCarty 1, Mazurek 1, Newport 1, Wight 1
Best - Lovett, Healy, Ward
Links
Blueseum match report
Media
Canberra Times - 17/04/1983
Age - 18/04/1983
Football Record R5 1983