Round 5, 1988
Sydney vs Melbourne
Sunday 1 May
Venue: SCG
Attendance: 9269
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Sydney | 4.8 | 7.10 | 10.14 | 12.17.89 |
| Melbourne | 2.1 | 9.6 | 10.10 | 17.14.116 |
Melbourne win by 27 points
Goalkickers: Ricky Jackson 4, Garry Lyon 4, Bret Bailey 2, Tony Campbell 1, Greg Healy 1, Andy Lovell 1, Stephen Newport 1, Earl Spalding 1, Steven Stretch 1, Graeme Yeats 1
Brownlow Votes:
2 - Steven Stretch
1 - Ricky Jackson
Milestones:
Nil
With the Swans in crisis and their licence to play in the VFL on the open market the team responded with a rugged performance which kept them in the match until the last quarter in front of a small SCG crowd.
On a greasy surface ruined by heavy rain the Swans opened brightly with a goal in the first minute but they failed to take their opportunities throughout the quarter and only went in with a 19 point lead despite having nine more scoring shots.
Melbourne looked the team more likely in the second quarter and threatened to run away with the match before fading late in the term to allow the Swans to cut the margin back to two points at the long break. The second term had seen an all-in brawl after future Demon Wayne Henwood was reported for striking Steve O'Dwyer and ex-Dee Michael Byrne for striking Andy Lovell. Alan Johnson was also felled, carried from the ground on a stretcher with concussion after being struck by David Bolton.
Ill discipline hurt the Swans in the last quarter where Jim Stynes took a mark 20m out from his own goal line with the Demons just three points in front and received a 50m penalty after a crude attempt at a spoil by Terry Thripp. He passed to an unopposed Stephen Newport, who then kicked to Tony Campbell on his own inside 50 and the margin was out to nine points. When Graham Yeats kicked another a minute later the match was over.
Former Swans coach John Northey said "it was a great satisfaction to beat Sydney after being dumped, or dismissed if you like".
Best were Jackson, Johnson and Lovett
Reserves
Melbourne 23.15.153 d. Sydney 15.16.106
Goals - Smith 5, Fidge 4, Rennie 3, Bayes 3, Williams 2, D. Duursma 2, Febey 1, Flintoff 1, Rohde 1, Normington 1
Best - Smith, J. Duursma, Williams
Under 19s
BYE
Media
Sydney Morning Herald - 02/05/1988
Canberra Times - 02/05/1988
Age - 02/05/1988
Football Record R6 1988