Round 7, 1945
Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Saturday 2 June
Venue: Punt Road
Attendance: 14,000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 4.2 | 4.4 | 7.9 | 10.12.72 |
| North Melbourne | 2.3 | 9.4 | 13.8 | 18.11.119 |
North Melbourne win by 47 points
Goalkickers: Fred Fanning 6, Ivan Porter 2, Col McLean 1, Norm Smith 1
Milestones:
First Game
Jim Oppy
Ern Rowarth
First Goal
Col McLean (46th game)
Melbourne had fallen out of the top four a week earlier after losing to Footscray, and their chances of playing finals were further damaged by a big loss at the hands of the Shinboners - playing their best season to date.
The Demons were again reliant on Fanning's goals, but while he kicked six there was a rare goal for Col McLean, the only one of his 138 game career. They needed alternatives to goal, because other than Fanning there were no obvious alternatives in attack. North countered their attacking superiority by keeping the ball low and playing to the strength of their quick players. Fanning had four at quarter time to have his side 11 points up.
The defence of both sides was in fine form, before North piled broke through to pile on seven goals to nil before half time. Melbourne switched several players while trying to rescue a 30 point deficit. The changes didn't help, the Demons got the first goal of the quarter but North was soon back on the attack, extending the gap by three quarter time and going on to win easily.
Two goals early in the last gave Melbourne some hope of a miracle comeback, but the Northerners recovered to run away with victory.
It was North's fifth straight win, and they won on the back of a better performance by their small men who outpaced Melbourne's equivalent. They kicked their highest ever score against the Demons to that point.
Cordner, Latham and Dowsing were best. Stabb replaced Baggott (back injury) after half time.
Seconds
North Melbourne 11.11 d. Melbourne 10.7
Notes
Sporting Globe gives the crowd as 15,000.
Media
Sporting Globe - 02/06/1945
Age - 04/06/1945
Football Record R8 1945