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
Melbourne led by five goals in the third quarter but suffered their second narrow loss in a row.
Todd Curley became the first player to face the AFL tribunal on a racial, cited for abusing Donald Cockatoo-Collins after an incident when Cockatoo-Collins sarcastically kissed Bulldog Nigel Kellett on the cheek after the Bulldogs players scuffled with his twin brother David. Curley was found not guilty.
Steven Kolyniuk was also forced into mediation with Jeff Farmer for an alleged racial slur. The second time Farmer had been on the end of such treatment in the first month of the season.
Neitz, Stynes and Nettelbeck were best. Glenn Lovett suffered a bruised shoulder.
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 - 24/04/1997
Football Record R5 1997
Football Record R6 1997