Round 4, 1997
Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs
Friday 18 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 28,043
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 3.3 | 8.6 | 10.8 | 13.9.87 |
| Western Bulldogs | 2.2 | 5.6 | 9.8 | 13.11.89 |
Western Bulldogs win by 2 points
Goalkickers: David Neitz 7, Garry Lyon 3, Alastair Clarkson 1, Jeff Farmer 1, Andrew Obst 1
Brownlow votes:
1 - Alastair Clarkson
Milestones:
First game
Anthony McDonald
In their fourth consecutive weeknight game to start the season, Melbourne fell to their second thrilling loss in a row. Unlike the previous defeat against Sydney, this time they were well in front before being chased down. A six goal to one run in the second quarter left five goals ahead in the third term before being run down. Three late goals helped the Bulldogs cut the lead to six at the last change.
The sides traded the lead four times in the last quarter, including David Neitz kicking his seventh to give his side the lead, but the Bulldogs got the all-important last one with two minutes to play. Five Melbourne players failed to register a possession in the final quarter as the side ran out of legs. Future Demon Craig Ellis marked in the dying seconds to cut off Melbourne's final attack.
Neil Balme was unhappy about umpiring decisions, saying "you'd have to feel they did have an influence on the result". He risked sanction from the AFL by saying "I read during the week that umpires are low on morale, and I see they probably are". Regardless of a dubious free that led to a Bulldogs goal, and not being paid what seemed a more obvious one at the other end, his side had still given up a big lead. At one stage first gamer Anthony McDonald kicked the ball into an opponent on the mark, who gathered and goalled. Umpire Geoff Caulfield resigned two weeks later, ending his 63 game career, and admitted the decision was wrong. It was only his second game back since a week in a coma after a serious car accident.
Steven Kolyniuk was also forced into mediation with Jeff Farmer for an alleged racial slur and apologised to him. It was the second time Farmer had been on the end of such treatment in the first month of the season, after previously reporting racial abuse after Round 1. David Cockatoo-Collins also reported racial vilification in the Reserves game. After a mediation session failed, Bulldog Todd Curley became the first AFL player to face the tribunal for racism. The incident occurred after Cockatoo-Collins sarcastically kissed Bulldog Nigel Kellett on the cheek after the Bulldogs players scuffled with his twin brother Donald. Curley was found not guilty.
Farmer and Andrew Obst were reported on video evidence for striking, Farmer was suspended for two weeks and Obst one.
Neitz, Stynes and Nettelbeck were best. Glenn Lovett suffered a bruised shoulder.
Lists
Tribunal
Reserves
Western Bulldogs 14.27.111 d. Melbourne 9.8.62
Goals - David Cockatoo-Collins 3, Bishop 2, Nicholson 1, Murphy 1, Bradly 1, Irving 1
Best - Seecamp, Irving, David Cockatoo-Collins
Media
Age - 18/04/1997, 19/04/1997, 20/04/1997, 21/04/1997, 23/04/1997, 24/04/1997, 30/04/1997
Football Record - R5 1997, R6 1997