Round 6, 1978
Melbourne vs St. Kilda
Saturday 6 May
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 24,852
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 6.2 | 8.5 | 15.8 | 21.15.141 |
| St. Kilda | 8.7 | 19.12 | 23.13 | 31.18.204 |
St. Kilda win by 63 points
Goalkickers: Henry Coles 4, Peter Johnston 4, Ross Brewer 3, Ray Biffin 2, Steven Smith 2, Greg Wells 2, Barry Denny 1, Shane Fitzsimmons 1, Robert Flower 1, Tony May 1
Milestones:
First Game
David Code
Last Game
Tony May
Craig McKellar
First Goal
Barry Denny (7th game)
Tony May (6th career game)
Statistical categories led:
Highest match aggregate (345 points)
Largest score against at the MCG
Sides who score 141 are unlucky to lose, but they're desperately unlucky to be beaten by ten goals, and the Demons of 1978 remain the only side ever to achieve that dubious honour. From the 26 minute mark of the first quarter the Saints piled on 14 goals to none in an awesome display of attacking power, which left the Demons standing around like witches' hats.
Denis Jones described the atmosphere in the locker room at half-time as 'tense', and his mood wasn't made any better by young Phil Seaton failing to run through the interchange gates and being told he couldn't return to the ground.
78 points down at the break Jones' spray helped them to a win in the third quarter that cut the margin to just 45 points. The combined goal tally of the sides is one of only two 52 goal games in VFL/AFL history.
Flower, Wells and Denny were best on ground for the Demons but it was cold consolation on a day where they kicked a winning score and still managed to be thrashed. Ray Biffin was reported for striking Graeme Bond with an elbow to the face during the last quarter but was found not guilty after a 70 minute hearing.
The score is the 3rd highest ever conceded by the Demons, and the aggregrate scores of the game are the highest ever. It remains the only time St Kilda have topped 200 points in a match.
After the game the coach sprayed the umpires for their interpretation of the push in the back, and for not allowing Phil Seaton to re-enter the ground for the rest of the game after narrowly missing running through the interchange gate. Jones said: "I am not saying we're being picked on. The same thing is happening to all clubs" and suggested physicality was going out of the game. His comments were not the most controversial, later that year field umpires Ian Robinson and Kenneth Quinn sued the ABC and sporting commentator Dick Mason for allegedly libellous comments made during the call of the match.
Reserves
Melbourne 20.20.140 d. St Kilda 14.17.101
Goals - Flower 6, Duncan 3, Graham 3, Giulieri 2, Whitford 2, Woodman 2, Clarke 1, Thorne1
Best - Woodman, Clarke, Thorne
Under 19s
St. Kilda 15.16.106 drew with Melbourne 16.10.106
Goals - Hayes 4, Sadauskus 3, Angelis 2, Elshaug 2, Quine 2, Hobbs 1, McLean 1, Wallace 1
Best - Hobbs, Cunningham, Hayes
Lists
Highest losing scores
Highest Score Conceded
Media
Age - 08/05/1978
Age - 08/05/1978
Age - 09/05/1978
Age - 04/10/1978
Football Record R7 1978