Round 5, 1938
Melbourne vs Footscray
Saturday 21 May
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 14,979
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 2.3 | 4.8 | 7.12 | 10.12.72 |
| Footscray | 3.5 | 6.8 | 8.12 | 10.16.76 |
Footscray win by 4 points
Goalkickers: Ron Baggott 2, Percy Beames 2, Hugh Murnane 2, Ron Barassi 1, Allan La Fontaine 1, John Lewis 1, Jack Mueller 1
Milestones:
Last MFC Game
Ted Regan
The 1937 finallists dropped their second match in the first five weeks of the season in a thrilling contest with Footscray. Both sides played their heart out all day, and the margin was never more than a couple of goals.
Melbourne kicked into a slight breeze in the first quarter, but they were being dominated in the ruck and it was putting their defence under pressure. They went down 19 points, not helped by Smith and Baggott both missing set shots on goal but managed to cut the margin to eight points at quarter time with a late goal to Beames.
The visitors extended their lead to 12 points after an even second quarter, but Melbourne hit the lead early in the third quarter after quickly adding 2.1 to their score. They extended their lead to six points, before Footscray struck back and took a goal lead into the last change.
Melbourne swung Mueller into the ruck for the last quarter and both teams traded goals throughout the term. Melbourne were starting to tire but they had enough in them to snatch the lead late in the quarter through a Barassi goal.
Footscray almost instantly went forward, and Norm Ware was awarded a free kick in a marking contest 50 yards out from goal. He connected well with the ball and it crossed the line, but the umpire and goal umpire were forced to decide whether the ball had been touched before it crossed the line. They eventually ruled it had been touched after crossing the line and Footscray were winners. The Demons declined to lodge a formal protest.
Lock was best, along with Jones and Beames. Regan replaced Baggott (injured) during the last quarter. Jack Mueller was reported for elbowing and suspended for four matches. With the umpire admitting he wasn't sure which player it was, the case was re-opened two weeks later. The player Mueller was charged with striking testified that he was 40 yards away, but Mueller was still found guilty of another Footscray player and outed. Melbourne applied to have the case reopened but the tribunal's decision was upheld.
Seconds
Footscray 20.14.134 d. Melbourne 7.5.47
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Herald - 20/05/1938
Sporting Globe - 21/05/1938
Herald - 23/05/1938
Argus - 25/05/1938
Herald - 31/05/1938
Sporting Globe - 01/06/1938
Argus - 01/06/1938
Sun - 01/06/1938
Football Record R6 1938
Sporting Globe - 08/06/1938
Age - 08/06/1938