Round 7, 1938
Melbourne vs Collingwood
Saturday 4 June
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 30,877
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 5.4 | 8.7 | 12.11 | 18.13.115 |
| Collingwood | 3.3 | 6.6 | 10.7 | 15.11.101 |
Melbourne win by 14 points
Goalkickers: Norm Smith 7, Percy Beames 5, Ron Barassi 3, Jack Maher 1, Hugh Murnane 1
Milestones:
First Game
Geoff McNaughton
50 Games
Pat McNamara
In 1938 Melbourne had beaten Collingwood in both 'home and home' games for the first time in history, before losing to the Magpies in the finals so hopes were high for a classic match and the 30,000 people who showed up weren't disappointed.
Gusty winds meant the game couldn't possibly match up to their Round 16, 1937 clash where the two sides put on the highest aggregate score in a VFL match, Collingwood kicked the highest losing score ever and conceded their highest ever score. It was the first time two sides had both kicked 21 goals in a match and was - naturally - Melbourne's record score against the Magpies.
The crowd weren't treated to the same sort of spectacle, but they did see a thrilling finish between two top four contenders which stretched Melbourne's home and away winning streak against the Magpies to an unprecedented three in a row. Instead of a high scoring game the spectators saw a hard slog where Melbourne were the better side all day but never far enough in front to feel safe.
Again it was a fast start which laid the platform for Melbourne's win, with their ruckmen firing they kicked four goals before Collingwood's first. The Magpies recovered and cut the margin to seven before Norm Smith marked and goalled to end the quarter. In the second quarter Melbourne made the mistake of kicking to the wrong wing too often, and were far more successful when they went down the other side of the ground. Each scored 3.3 for the term.
Collingwood started the third quarter well, but their brief burst of good play didn't last long and they soon conceded three straight goals. They cut the gap to 16 points at three quarter time, but found themselves under siege in the last term. With six minutes to go a desperate rally by Collingwood saw them snatch the lead by three points, but Smith got them back in front and Percy Beames added another to give his side some security. Les Jones twice stopped Collingwood attacking and time ran out for the Magpies.
Melbourne's win was even more meritorious considering that not only were they still missing Ron Baggott and Jack Mueller, but Rowley Fischer was unable to play after being one of the stars in their surprise win over Carlton a week earlier.
Best were Beames, Jones and Smith. McNamara replaced Barassi in the last quarter. McNaughton was a late replacement for Fischer.
After being the top two teams in successive weeks the result left Melbourne in third and displaced Collingwood from the top four on percentage.
Seconds
Collingwood 14.18.102 d. Melbourne 10.4.64
Media
Football Record R8 1938
Herald - 03/06/1938
Argus - 04/06/1938
Sporting Globe - 04/06/1938
Argus - 06/06/1938
Sporting Globe - 08/06/1938
Australasian - 11/06/1938