Round 5 1956

Round 5, 1956
Melbourne vs Geelong
Saturday 12 May
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 47,270

Melbourne win by 8 points

Goalkickers: Ron Barassi 2, Ian Ridley 2, Robert B Johnson 1, Clyde Laidlaw 1

Milestones:
Nil

After being exiled to away games for the first four rounds due to construction at the MCG, the Demons returned to their home ground where their 1955 Premiership flag was unfurled by the wife of Bert Chadwick.

The only two undefeated teams in the competition represented the best defensive side in the competition (Melbourne), and the best attacking team (Geelong), but conditions favoured the Demons. With the game played on an MCG lake due to heavy rain umpire Barbour tried to bounce the ball at the start of the game and watched it skid off at an angle. He threw it in the air after that.

Stuart Spencer fell victim to the weather, kicking most of his equal VFL/AFL record 0.10 off the ground. He later explained that the grass had been left to grow long for the Olympics but had become difficult to play in when heavy rain came. Despite the terrible conditions the two sides put in a decent performance, and Melbourne answered every challenge from Geelong by using their greater physical strength to wear their opponents down in the wet.

Geelong's strong half-forward brigade was immobilised by Melbourne's defence until the last few minutes when they put in a belated charge to fall eight points short at the final siren. Conversely Melbourne's forwards were poor, with only one goal through half-forward flanker Clyde Laidlaw, four through followers and one from ruckman Johnson.

Drainage experts were forced to inspect the ground in the following week to check the foundations which had been laid for the new Olympic running track and to make sure that football could continue to be played there for the rest of the year.

The 11th win in a row dating back to July 1955 set a new club record.

Best were Beckwith, Marquis and Melville.

Seconds
Geelong 13.12 d. Melbourne 9.11
Goals - Unknown
Best - Wilson, McGivern, Lord

Thirds
Geelong 10.9 d. Melbourne 4.14

Notes
Some sources say Spencer kicked 0.11, but Football Record and newspapers both say 0.10.

Media
Argus - 11/05/1956
Age - 14/05/1956
Age - 14/05/1956
Argus - 16/05/1956
Football Record R6 1956