Round 5, 1976
Fitzroy vs Melbourne
Saturday 1 May
Venue: Junction Oval
Attendance: 11,131
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Fitzroy | 2.4 | 4.7 | 11.10 | 15.13.103 |
| Melbourne | 2.5 | 10.7 | 14.11 | 17.13.115 |
Melbourne win by 12 points
Goalkickers: Stan Alves 3, Henry Coles 3, Shane Fitzsimmons 3, Ross Brewer 2, Greg Wells 2, Gary Hardeman 1, Peter Johnston 1, Craig McKellar 1, Steven Smith 1
Milestones:
Nil
Selectors axed six of the side beaten handily by Carlton in Round 4. Neil Chamberlain, Shane Grambeau, Paul Goss, Tony Sullivan, Terry Wilkins and Maurice Wingate were all omitted.
Returning were Gary Hardeman and Robert Flower from interstate duty as well as Stan Alves, Steven Smith, Peter Keays and Colin Graham.
In the end the Demons got the four points but coach Bob Skilton was far from happy. "I'm just thankful for the four premiership points when we played as disgracefully as that" he said. "We did stupid things which helped lift Fitzroy".
At half time it looked as if the Demons were going to do it easily, but the Lions re-emerged after the long break a different side. They started kicking long and direct and booted seven in the third term. Just as it looked as if they were going to grab the game in the last quarter, though, their hesitant short game returned at Melbourne managed to hold on to an unconvincing victory.
Best were Hardeman, Wells and Fitzsimmons. Johnston was replaced by Grambeau in the last quarter. Wingate was an unused reserve.
Reserves
Melbourne 16.18.114 d. Fitzroy 14.12.96
Goals - Tippett 4, Chamberlain 3, Mills 2, Walters 2, Baker 1, Lyons 1, Guy 1, Kelly 1, Carroll 1
Best - Osborne, Guy, Goss
Under 19s
Fitzroy 16.16 defeated Melbourne 13.17
Media
Age - 30/04/1976
Age - 03/05/1976
Football Record R6 1976