Saturday 17 August - East Melbourne
Crowd - 2500-3000
Melbourne 1.23
Victorian 0.1 (half time 1.18-0.1)
Melbourne win by 1 goal
Goalkicker: James Bennie 1
The opponents were on tour from Adelaide, and the result was expected to be close after Melbourne had struggled to a one goal win against them while on tour in 1877.
Conditions were not favourable, and parts of the ground were marshy, but Melbourne dominated. They had the first behind on the board with the third kick of the day, and scored 1.18 in the first half. Their accuracy was affected by the wind. By the time Adelaide scored a single behind their opponents had racked up 14 scoring shots. At half time they had 1.18.
The second half was played at a lesser speed, as Melbourne players started to enjoy themselves rather than crush the opposition. The Adelaide side could have equalised late but missed a kick from 25 yards.
Best were Waldron, Sillett and Downes.
The two sides played a rematch two days later.
Selected team
F. Baker, Bennie, Booth, Boys, J. Cook, E. Cooke, Cooper, Crohan, Downes, Houston, Longden, MacDonald, A. McKie, J.McKie, Nicholas, Sandilands, Sherard, Sillett (captain), Simson and Waldron with Tennant as the emergency.
Media
Herald - 16/08/1878
Age - 19/08/1878
Chronicle and Weekly Mail - 24/08/1878
Australasian - 24/08/1878
Leader - 24/08/1878