Round 9, 1984
Footscray vs Melbourne
Saturday 26 May
Venue: Waverley
Attendance: 20,056
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Footscray | 1.3 | 6.8 | 10.11 | 11.15.81 |
| Melbourne | 5.3 | 10.6 | 18.15 | 23.21.159 |
Melbourne win by 78 points
Goalkickers: Kelvin Templeton 8, Peter Thorne 7, John Fidge 2, Greg Healy 2, Robert Flower 1, Gerard Healy 1, Alan Johnson 1, David Williams 1
Brownlow Votes:
3 - Robert Flower
2 - Kelvin Templeton
1 - Peter Thorne
Milestones:
Nil
Statistical categories led:
Biggest win at Waverley
Highest score against Footscray
Equal highest score in Round 9
Facing a Bulldog side with a terrible record at Waverley, the Demons made a statement that they weren't also rans in 1984 with a thrashing.
Five goals to one in the first quarter set up a comfortable lead, and it was only a brief few minutes in the second term that the Dogs showed any fight or that they were a chance to steal a win. Melbourne struck back to take a 22 point lead into half-time before effortlessly extending it to nearly ten goals at the last break.
Robert Flower was his side's best across the wing and dropping back into the Dogs backline to constantly mop up pressure and send his side back into attack.
Speaking in a crowded, noisy dressing room full of fans after the match Ron Barassi said "The young players of Melbourne are starting to bloom", but it was his big money full-forward Templeton who did much of the damage against his old side. His eight goals came from countless strong marks over a helpless Dogs defence. Just a few weeks earlier Templeton had been dragged for not chasing enough, and now he was starting to justify his big money price tag.
Templeton wasn't alone up front, forward pocket Peter Thorne was left to his own devices and racked up a career high seven goals.
Best were Flower, Templeton and Thorne.
Reserves
Melbourne 20.14.134 d. Footscray 15.12.102
Goals - Grinter 5, Reynolds 5, Boland 2, Battiston 2, Hutchison 2, Tossol 2, Howard 1, Joycey 1
Best - Battiston, Boland, Reynolds
Under 19s
Melbourne 16.12.118 d. Footscray 8.8.56
Goals - Louttit 4, Nichols 4, Newport 4, Edwards 2, Marra 1, Tossol 1
Best - Nichols, Ward, Bourke
Video
Media
Canberra Times - 2705/1984
Age - 28/05/1984
Football Record R9 1984