Semi Final, 1958
Melbourne vs Collingwood
Saturday 6 September
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 77,350
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 5.0 | 6.4 | 8.5 | 11.12.78 |
| Collingwood | 1.0 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.9.33 |
Melbourne win by 45 points
Goalkickers: Frank Adams 3, Ron Barassi 2, Ian Ridley 2, Athol Webb 2, Robert B Johnson 1, Geoff Tunbridge 1
Milestones:
Nil
Playing for the chance to go straight through to their fifth straight Grand Final, the Demons were put through one of their hardest training sessions for the season in the leadup to the game. With no injury worries, Smith could afford to work on conditioning the entire squad. On the other side, the Pies had a short session where they were unable to use all their players due to lingering injuries. Norm Smith was reported to have ended the session, with players coming off the ground tired by saying to them "I don't hear much talking from you fellows. What's the trouble, bit short of breath are you? We must have some really hard training one of these nights."
His side outpaced Collingwood and survived their violent tactics to put a match winning lead on the board in the first quarter. Melbourne kicked four open goals in the first term, and won their fifth from a needless free kick.
After weeks of anti-umpire criticism in recent weeks, umpire Alan Nash was in the firing line with both sets of fans venting their displeasure at his selection to control the important match - and he was handed a potentially volatile clash as the Pies tried to 'go the knuckle' to put Melbourne off.
Despite settling down to normal football in the second term the Pies were well beaten all day, their woefully outmatched and top-heavy forward line managing a single goal in each quarter - all from speculative snaps out of the pack - and it was advantage Melbourne going into the Grand Final.
Collingwood were forced to face North Melbourne in a knockout preliminary final the next week.
Best were Fenton-Smith, McLean and Williams. Laidlaw was replaced by Crompton in the second quarter after suffering a pulled muscle, and Ridley by Carroll in the final quarter due to concussion.
Media
Sun - 03/09/1958
Age - 08/09/1958
Football Record 1958 Finals