Round 5, 2001
Melbourne vs Sydney
Sunday 29 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 31,168
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 4.3 | 10.7 | 13.9 | 18.11.119 |
| Sydney | 5.4 | 6.9 | 10.12 | 15.14.104 |
Melbourne win by 15 points
Goalkickers: David Neitz 6, Russell Robertson 4, Jeff Farmer 3, Paul Wheatley 2, Adem Yze 2, David Schwarz 1
Brownlow votes:
3 - David Neitz
2 - Jeff White
1 - David Schwarz
Best and Fairest
31 - David Neitz
20 - David Schwarz
18 - Daniel Ward
11 - Russell Robertson
7 - Steven Febey
7 - Jeff White
7 - Andrew Leoncelli
6 - Adem Yze
Milestones:
Nil
After another week of turmoil off the field, David Neitz looked set to have a day out on it with the first two goals of the match and four in the first twelve minutes. The Demons had the first three of the game, but Sydney recovered back to lead at the first change. Melbourne then wrested the momentum back with six goals to one in the second term to take a handy lead into the long break. Jeff Farmer kicked three goals in the quarter before injuring his hamstring.
Jeff White dominated the inexperienced Simon Feast but the Swans were so desperate for somebody to take on White that even after Feast injured his shoulder in the first quarter he had two painkilling injections and played out the game, winning just one hitout and not registering a disposal.
The Swans were 22 points behind at half time, and though they were the better side in the third term they wasted their dominance in the final 10 minutes and went into the last change 15 points down. In a week where it was suggested that he might be challenged for the presidency by Ron Walker, and after he'd called for disaffected directors to resign during a pre-match address, Joseph Gutnick and his bodyguards to sat with the cheer squad at the last break, and when Russell Robertson kicked his first it looked like Melbourne would be home. Then Sydney booted five unanswered goals to be nine points ahead in time on. Then Russell Robertson booted three goals in a row, one from a big mark, before Neitz's sixth sealed victory.
Best were Jeff White, David Schwarz and Anthony Ingerson. In addition to Jeff Farmer, Nathan Brown also injured his hamstring.
Neale Daniher, who had joined players on the ground to applaud fans after the game, said "If they didn't have what they've got, we could easily be one-and-four. What do you say? It's just the beauty of a collection of human beings who decide they want to do something."
Banner
Video
Media
Sunday Mail - 29/04/2001
Advertiser - 30/04/2001
Age - 30/04/2001
Herald Sun - 30/04/2001
Australian - 30/04/2001
AFANA News 2001