Saturday 15 July - Richmond Paddock
Melbourne 0
Royal Park 1
Match drawn
The path to the match had been difficult, with Melbourne initially challenged by South Yarra, who let Royal Park play before them due to a postponed sports carnival they were hosting falling on the same day. Against opposition reckoned to be lesser than South Yarra, Melbourne escaped with the Challenge Cup for a second game in a row after being behind at the conclusion of play. The rules stated a side needed to kick two goals to win the game, so Royal Park's goal which came due to the home side pushing too far forward and leaving Treacy alone to defend their goal didn't win them the title.
RW Wardill was captain, and both players had around 20 players. Some were missing due to the arrival of the English mail in the city. Melbourne won the toss, kicking off a fiercely contested game. The suburban team had a great advantage in weight, and in the wet many players took spills. Henry Harrison got some of his own back on a Royal Park player, knocking him clean off his feet. O'Mullane - a late addition who was not in the named team - also knocked an opponent over.
An incident during the game had an effect on the rules from 1866 onwards. The well-known tactic of Henry Harrison to ignore the law about not running with the ball was finally backfired when South decided to give the ball to their speediest player and allow him to sprint - at one point over the line and through the goal for the only major of the match. It led to the eventual implementation of the rule that said players had to bounce the ball every 10 yards.
Best were O'Mullane, Conway and Osborne.
Team
HC Harrison, Conway, RW Wardill, MK Woolley, Riggall, Darehy, Fleming, Wilkie, W. Campbell, O'Brien, Treacy, Shiels, Downes, Osborne, Aitken, Serrell, Perrston, TH Smith, Pinnock, Davidson
Media
Bell's Life - 15/07/1865
Australasian - 15/07/1865
Argus - 17/07/1865
Bell's Life - 22/07/1865
Australasian - 22/07/1865