Round 4, 1987
Melbourne vs St. Kilda
Saturday 18 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 25,465
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 3.2 | 11.9 | 18.9 | 21.13.139 |
| St. Kilda | 4.5 | 5.5 | 9.8 | 14.8.92 |
Melbourne win by 47 points
Goalkickers: Greg Healy 4, Peter Moore 4, Graeme Yeats 3, Doug Koop 2, Garry Lyon 2, Steven Stretch 2, Warren Dean 1, Ricky Jackson 1, Earl Spalding 1, David Williams 1
Brownlow votes:
2 - Rod Grinter
1 - Bret Bailey
Milestones:
First game
Steve O'Dwyer
First goal
Ricky Jackson (3rd game)
Earl Spalding (4th game)
Never before had one player contributed so much to his team's total and still come out on the losing side, but Tony Lockett must have wondered what he was doing in the sheds after returning with a 12 goal haul in a team that only managed 14 for the day.
Melbourne could afford to be torn apart by Lockett, because none of his teammates were giving any sort of performance. Many of the Demons goals came from fumbling into the forward line and finding nobody there to stop them. Steven Stretch comfortably beat Nicky Winmar and added two goals of his own on the run and Melbourne kicked eight goals to one in the second quarter to swing a nine point deficit into a 39 point lead at half time.
First gamer Steve O'Dwyer comfortably accounted for the St. Kilda ruckmen and his form allowed Peter Moore to sit at full-forward and boot four goals. The fiery O'Dwyer was also reported on debut for striking and suspended for two matches. After kicking just one goal in his first 31 games, Graeme Yeats went forward for the Demons and kicked 3.2.
John Northey said "we still made some terrible mistakes today, but when you're learning to become a good side it's only human nature to make mistakes".
Best were Stretch, Grinter and Bailey. Greg Healy suffered a corked thigh.
Reserves
Melbourne 21.19.145 d. St Kilda 13.12.90
Goals - Cordner 7, Campbell 4, Barclay 2, Eishold 2, Fidge 1, Ryan 1, Smith 1, Normington 1, Sparks 1, Kiel 1
Best - Wight, Cordner, Kiel
Under 19s
Melbourne 19.16.130 d. St. Kilda 11.12.78
Goals - Varcoe 5, Aitken 3, Febey 3, Howat 2, Lane 2, Healy 2, Hewetson 1, Minchington 1
Best - Martello, Knight, Graham
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Canberra Times - 19/04/1987
Age - 20/04/1987
Football Record R5 1987