Round 22, 1988
Melbourne vs Carlton
Saturday 27 August
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 50,178
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 8.2 | 9.7 | 11.12 | 14.12.96 |
| Carlton | 3.3 | 4.4 | 5.5 | 10.6.66 |
Melbourne win by 30 points
Goalkickers: Ricky Jackson 4, Garry Lyon 3, Jim Stynes 2, Andy Lovell 1, Steven O'Dwyer 1, Earl Spalding 1, Steven Stretch 1, David Williams 1
Brownlow Votes:
3 - Graeme Yeats
2 - Alan Johnson
Milestones:
Nil
After suffering a second half of the season slump which turned them from potential minor premiers to potentially missing out on the finals the Demons found form again just when it counted. With Essendon playing the lowly Saints and Sydney also a chance to sneak in if they fell over it looked like a difficult task against a Carlton side who were still playing for a chance to make second place.
The Demons jumped to a handy lead early in terrible conditions. Garry Lyon was the chief destroyer with three goals as his side piled on eight in the first quarter and came out looking nothing like the side which had spent a month playing list it was mentally burned out. By three-quarter time the margin was 43 points and despite Essendon and Sydney both being well on their way to victory it looked like a finals spot was all but sewn up.
Then Carlton mounted a furious fightback and kicked five goals in 15 minutes to get to within twelve points before Andy Lovell booted the sealer. Earl Spalding and David Williams followed with more goals. Jamie Duursma could take much of the credit for stitching up Steven Kernahan for most of the game but it was Jon Dorotich who was the driving force behind the comeback.
The four points were enough to seal a finals berth and an Elimination Final the next week against West Coast at Waverley.
Best were Yeats, Healy and Duursma. Steve O'Dwyer and Rod Grinter were both reported for striking but cleared.
Reserves
Carlton 23.12.150 d. Melbourne 7.14.56
Goals - Dean 2, Campbell 1, Bailey 1, Johns 1, C. Smith 1, Rennie 1
Best - Campbell, J. Viney, Fidge
Under 19s
Carlton 14.9.93 d. Melbourne 11.14.80
Goals - Partington 3, Putamorsi 2, Schwarz 1, Gilder 1, Dent 1, Brook 1, Beveridge 1, Morey 1
Video
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Canberra Times - 27/08/1988
Canberra Times - 28/08/1988
Age - 29/08/1988
Football Record Elimination Final 1988
Links
Blueseum match report