Saturday 5 October - Melbourne Ground
Crowd - 7000-8000

Melbourne 1.4
Geelong 5.12 (half time 1.1-1.7)

Geelong win by 4 goals

Goalkicker: Charles Baker 1

Despite having a worse record than Carlton, the Reds were considered the best team in the metropolis due to their four-nil head to head record against the old enemy through the season. Even though Geelong had gone through the year unbeaten they were forced into the extra match to decide the premiership as they had not yet played against the newly crowned best team in the city.

Due to their superior record the visitors were favourites, and they used their support pace to attack first but failed to convert. Melbourne then counter attacked, and Fred Baker (playing the match under the name F. Jenkins) had a shot which fell short and was marked by Charles Baker on the line. He converted to give the locals the lead, but that was as good as it got for them.

A running drop-kick after 25 minutes equalised for Geelong and they might have gone in front immediately after were it not for a rushed kick from directly in front. The Reds got to half time on level terms, but the exertion of constant defending had taken a lot out of them.

They put in a last ditch exertion in the first 10 minutes of the second half before fading in warm weather. The go-ahead goal came after 12 minutes and three more followed.

Best were A. McKie, Lamrock and Houston.

Teams
Goalkeeper: C. Sherard
Backs: B. Sillett, W. Boys, G. Houston, J. McKie, S. Lamrock
Centre: R. Simson
North wing: A. McKie, J. McDonald, W. Sandilands
South wing: F. Crohan, E. Wills, H. Downes
Forwards: C. Baker, J. Cook, F. Baker (as F. Jenkins), W. Longden
Followers: E. Longden, J. Bennie, J. Booth

Notes
Some sources have the crowd as 10,000 - 11,000

Media
Australasian - 12/10/1878
Weekly Times - 12/10/1878