Saturday 12 August - Princes Oval
Crowd: 4000
Melbourne 0.1
Essendon 5.13 (half time 0.0-2.7)
After registering their first two wins of the season over the previous two weekends, Melbourne were thrashed in a rare home game on Carlton's ground.
Decided improvement over the past fortnight gave the impression that the third battle between the sides for the year would be a close one, but with only 14 of their best 20 present the Reds were thrashed comprehensively in their worst performance of the year. They couldn't even blame the conditions, with little wind and good footing all over the ground.
The game was relatively even for the first 20 minutes, but Essendon scored two goals to end the half and the change of ends brought now relief for Melbourne's under siege defence. Essendon dominated the second half, and it was only McKenzie and Thewlis who managed to hold them out. It took until the last 20 minutes for the floodgates to open and another three goals were kicked.
RB Nicholson, RG Nicholson and McKenzie were best.
Media
Argus - 14/08/1882
Australasian - 19/08/1882