Round 7, 1946
Melbourne vs Fitzroy
Saturday 1 June
Venue: Punt Road
Attendance: 12,000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 0.1 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 5.11.41 |
| Fitzroy | 4.4 | 7.7 | 12.8 | 14.13.97 |
Fitzroy win by 56 points
Goalkickers: Fred Fanning 1, Dick Kennedy 1, Jack Mueller 1, Alby Rodda 1, Stan Rule 1
Milestones:
Last game
Ivan Porter
Harry Rowe
Melbourne had already lost ground on the top four with two straight losses, including to the previously winless Hawthorn the previous Saturday and their thrashing against Fitzroy put them in even more trouble.
Playing without Norm Smith, who was a withdrawal with a torn thigh muscle suffered at training, the Demons created chances in the first quarter but their forward play was poor. They struggled to one point for the term, and were outscored 9.5 to 0.4 at that end of the ground. Showers midway through the first quarter didn't help their attacking power, and by quarter time the margin was more than four goals.
Renewed effort saw Melbourne kick the first two goals of the second quarter, but Fitzroy answered quickly and ended up winning the quarter by a point. More rain came at half time, making Melbourne's job of overcoming a deficit even harder. When Fitzroy kicked the first two goals of the third the task was almost impossible. The Demons conceded five goals to nil in the third term, and three goals to two in the last to lose.
Irwin, McLean and T. Cordner were best. 19th and 20th men were Hall and Byfield. There was a last minute change to the selected side, with Daly replacing Dockett (ankle injury) on the wing.
It was Melbourne's lowest score for ten years, and their lowest against Fitzroy for more than two decades. They dropped to 9th place, above only the three teams who had won one game each.
Alby Rodda was reported for striking but found not guilty. Fitzroy's Price contradicted the evidence of the boundary umpire who laid the charge but saying he didn't feel a blow. Rodda's claims that he felt a bump behind him and naturally warded off the source of the bump was accepted by the tribunal.
Seconds
Fitzroy 11.25 d. Melbourne 10.12
Goals - Unknown
Best - Copsey, Quinn, McMahon
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Herald - 31/05/1946
Sporting Globe - 01/06/1946
Argus - 05/06/1946
Football Record R8 1946