Round 9, 1979
Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Saturday 2 June
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 23,261
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 2.2 | 6.2 | 13.5 | 17.9.111 |
| North Melbourne | 5.7 | 10.8 | 14.13 | 23.18.156 |
North Melbourne win by 45 points
Goalkickers: Andrew Moir 4, Robert Flower 3, Garry Baker 2, Tom Flower 2, Greg Wells 2, Phil Carman 1, Cameron Clayton 1, Graham Gaunt 1, Gerard Healy 1
Milestones:
First Game
Peter Giles
Last Game
John Wallace
100 Games
Garry Baker (also with Footscray)
Another massive score conceded by the Demons, and yet more trouble for their underperforming backline with Ross Glendinning booting 10 goals for the winners from a half-forward flank. Down the other end Phil Carman was suffering in a terrible game, kicking just one goal and being tried out in positions all around the forward line to try and get him into the match.
Despite Glendinning's heroics Melbourne had fought back to cut a 48 point margin at the 21 minute mark of the second quarter to 11 points three minutes into the last and it looked as if they were capable of reeling in North for a shock victory. Robert Flower and Graham Gaunt were thrown into the middle of the ground and the Demon forwards were finally given the chance to get a touch of the ball.
With Carman and Wayne Gordon both failing miserably up front it was down to Andrew Moir to be the recipient of Flower and Gaunt's work out of the middle. The changes helped them back into the game but when North finally got a steadier four minutes into the last they ran away with it, Glendinning kicking four goals in the final term.
The loss left the 2-7 Demons off the bottom only on percentage from the equally hapless St Kilda.
Best were R. Flower, Wells and Moir
Reserves
Melbourne 20.15.135 d.North Melbourne 20.8.128
Goals - Maynard 4, Woodman 4, Bull 3, Code 2, Dullard 2, Whitford 2, Byrne 1, Durnan 1, Thorne 1
Best - Martyn, Code, Sullivan
Under 19s
Melbourne 14.15.99 d. North Melbourne 14.11.95
Goals - Boyle 3, Moncrieff 3, Chapple 2, Dickson 1, Hope 1, McKissick 1, Walters 1
Best - Boyle, Pickford, Parish
Media
Age - 04/06/1979
Football Record R10 1979