Round 10, 1972
North Melbourne vs Melbourne
Saturday 3 June
Venue: Arden Street
Attendance: 8,063
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| North Melbourne | 0.2 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 6.11.47 |
| Melbourne | 11.7 | 14.9 | 15.14 | 23.17.155 |
Melbourne win by 108 points
Goalkickers: Greg Parke 5, Ross Brewer 3, Lloyd Burgmann 3, Paul Callery 3, John Gallus 3, Peter Keenan 2, Greg Wells 2, Stan Alves 1, Peter Sinclair 1
Milestones:
First Game
Col Anderson
Statistical categories led:
Biggest win against North Melbourne and highest score at Arden Street
After having a tough time of it against the Saints a week before, Ian Ridley and side bounced back and did no favours in thrashing his former teammate Brian Dixon and the Roos. North hadn't won a game yet, and after Melbourne's horrid performance against St Kilda some tipped them to break their duck but they were blown to pieces by a rampant Demon side.
The match took place on the first weekend of games to be played under a rule where the two captains would choose ends on the toss of a coin, and Frank Davis took full advantage by winning the toss for the Demons and gleefully kicking with a strong breeze.
The match was already over at quarter time with the Demons having put together what remains the greatest first quarter in the history of the club, and the only time that any Melbourne side has opened a game with ten or more goals. At the time it was also the greatest ever VFL opening term.
North won the second quarter and almost broke even in the third, but with much maligned recruit John Tilbrook back into the side off the bench in the last Melbourne piled on another 8.3 to 1.3 to extend the margin over a hundred points.
Tilbrook played a fine last quarter after replacing Peter Keenan who had suffered a hairline fracture of the hand. With six kicks, three marks and two goal assists Tilbrook showed fans that he wasn't yet a lost cause.
Best were Wells, Alves and Hardeman. Henry Ritterman was an unused reserve.
The win was Melbourne's biggest ever at Arden Street and their biggest score at the ground. No team had beaten North by as much since 1937.
Reserves
Melbourne 18.13 d. North Melbourne 10.8
Goals - Molloy 5, Dillon 3, McKenzie 2, Osborne 2, Collins 1, Cumming 1, Dilnot 1, McSpeerin 1, Morgan 1, Queay 1
Best - Molloy, McKenzie, Carr
Under 19s
North Melbourne 11.16.82 d. Melbourne 10.17.77
Goals - Lierich 2, G. Macdonald 2, Harrold 1, McLean 1, McMullin 1, Meades 1, Tesoriero 1, Thorneycroft 1
Best - G. Macdonald, Moore, Harrold
Notes
Inside Football gave the crowd as 8663.
Lists
100 point wins
Quarter records
Media
Age - 05/06/1972
Inside Football - 10/06/1972
Football Record R11 1972