Saturday 6 August - South Melbourne Cricket Ground
Crowd - 10,000 - 14,000

South Melbourne 2.13
Melbourne 1.9 (half time 1.7-0.3)

Goalkicker: Adams 1

The sides met for the first time in 1881 after poor weather had caused their first game to be called off. Two losses in three games had all but ruined Melbourne's premiership hopes, and their loss to South Melbourne was the last straw.

The home side kicked with the breeze in the first quarter, and they kicked the first behind of the game. Melbourne battled back with behinds of their own, before a spirited defence by Lamrock and Watson kept South out of their goal.

Late in the first half South got the first goal of the game. Melbourne attacked first in the second half, and spent a few minutes with the opposition goal under siege and eventually broke through wit a goal from Atkin. After a few minutes of tough play in the middle of the ground South got their second from a place kick and that was the last major of the match.

Best were Watson, Adams and Aitken.

Selected team
Adams, Aitken, C. Baker, A. Bennie, Booth, Boys, Lamrock, McDonald, McKenzie, Manifold, Murphy, Rannard, Robertson, C. Rosser, J. Rosser, Rowe, Stiffe, J. Syme, Thewlis, J. Watson.

Media
Australasian - 06/08/1881
Age - 06/08/1881
Argus - 08/08/1881