Round 7, 1971
Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Saturday 15 May
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 21,069
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 5.2 | 10.5 | 14.12 | 22.17.149 |
| North Melbourne | 5.4 | 10.10 | 12.12 | 15.14.104 |
Melbourne win by 45 points
Goalkickers: John Gallus 4, Lloyd Burgmann 3, Peter Keenan 3, Barry Bourke 2, Paul Callery 2, Denis Clark 2, Greg Parke 2, Stan Alves 1, George Lakes 1, Graham Molloy 1, John Townsend 1
Milestones:
Nil
After his side's first loss of the season a week earlier Ian Ridley had admitted that the Demons weren't a top class team yet, and despite an easy win over North - led by Brian Dixon in his first coaching engagement against the team he held the games record for - nothing was seen at the MCG which would have changed his mind.
Dixon was greeted by applause from Melbourne members before the game and took lessons from their loss to Collingwood the previous week. Handball had been Melbourne's main weapon during the year, but the players took it well over the top and were often foolish in the way they used the ball by hand. Their case wasn't helped by North's scragging tactics which were intent on slowing the game down and stopping the Demons from playing on.
After half time Melbourne managed to get back to their old game style but it took until the last quarter to skip away, and even when the match was well and truly won after an eight goal to one burst Melbourne still took their foot off the gas and allowed the Roos through to kick two consolation goals.
It was Melbourne's highest score against North for 34 years.
Best were Gallus, Townsend and Alves. Davis (bruised groin) was replaced by Sinclair in the first quarter. Parke suffered a bruised thigh and Wells a cut head. A week after kicking 11 goals in the Reserves, Ray Carr was an unused reserve.
Reserves
North Melbourne 17.13 d. Melbourne 14.16
Goals - Lawrie 6, McSpeerin 2, H.Ritterman 2, Cook 2, Colcott 1, Theodore 1
Best - Walker, Crawford, Foster
Under 19s
Melbourne 12.14 d. North Melbourne 11.14
Goals - Smith 4, Williamson 4, Dilnot 2, Brewer 1, Tesoriero 1
Best - Taylor, Tassell, Williamson
Media
Age - 17/05/1971
Inside Football - May 1971
Football Record R8 1971