Round 8, 1987
Melbourne vs Footscray
Saturday 16 May
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 16,325
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 4.4 | 6.7 | 6.13 | 11.15.81 |
| Footscray | 3.5 | 8.10 | 12.13 | 15.15.105 |
Footscray win by 24 points
Goalkickers: Sean Wight 3, Bret Bailey 2, Greg Healy 2, Warren Dean 1, Robert Flower 1, Garry Lyon 1, Brad Sparks 1
Brownlow votes:
1 - Garry Lyon
Milestones:
Nil
Just two weeks after lifting the Panasonic Cup the Demons crashed to earth with a thud against a determined Bulldogs side. They showed tell-tale signs of overconfidence, not doing any of the hard things that helped them climb the ladder and win the night competition.
Melbourne took an early lead in the wet thanks to Footscray's ineffective disposal, but things turned around just before half time and the Bulldogs never looked back with nine goals in a row. Kicking 0.6 in the third quarter didn't help the home team and even when they booted five in the last quarter it wasn't enough.
Best were Lyon, Dean and Bailey. Brian Wilson was reported for rough conduct but found not guilty and Steve O'Dwyer suffered his second two match ban for striking in his fourth game after striking Simon Beasley with a forearm to the head.
Reserves
Footscray 10.15.75 d. Melbourne 11.8.74
Goals - Eishold 2, Stynes 2, Ryan 2, Rugolo 1, Newport 1, Campbell 1, Jackson 1, Normington 1
Best - Stynes, Richards, Jarrott
Under 19s
Footscray 16.9.105 d. Melbourne 2.7.19
Goals - Newton, Knight
Best - Newton, Cartledge, Gilder
Notes
Newspaper reports show this as the day Robert Flower equalled the club record of 252 games by Brian Dixon. By modern standards (without state games included), it was Flower's 256th game.
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Canberra Times - 17/05/1987
Age - 18/05/1987, 19/05/1987
Football Record - R9 1987