Preliminary Final, 1936
South Melbourne vs Melbourne
Saturday 26 September
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 49,758
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| South Melbourne | 2.0 | 7.0 | 11.1 | 13.11.89 |
| Melbourne | 1.4 | 3.8 | 7.14 | 8.15.63 |
South Melbourne win by 26 points
Goalkickers: Eric Glass 3, Ron Baggott 1, Les Jones 1, John Lewis 1, Lou Reiffel 1, Bert Taylor 1
Milestones:
Last Game
Bert Taylor
Last MFC Game
Bill Deague
Frank Kelly
50 Games
Jack Mueller
Melbourne had thrashed South comfortably Round 12 courtesy of a 65 point to one last quarter but in the first ever finals battle between the two sides they found them too difficult a proposition and lost the opportunity to play Collingwood in the Grand Final.
South had strengthened their defence since the last meeting between the sides, and with Percy Beames playing with a thigh injury, the Demons couldn't create any scoring pressure, while South kicked eight straight into third quarter before finally blemishing their perfect record. Melbourne were wasteful at the other end and failed to take their chances.
The game started with two South goals in the first 10 minutes, but South failed to score for the rest of the quarter and Melbourne's weight advantage helped them reduce the gap to two. The Swans then booted five goals in nine minutes at the start of the second term to blow the game away. The Demon rucks and defence stood up well under the Swans' bombardment, but there was only so long that they could hold back the tide.
Melbourne's forwards were wasteful when they got the ball and were held up by South's defence more often than not. Bert Taylor was thrashed in the ruck, and Melbourne tried to free him with a move to the flank but his opponent followed. Without him as a target the Demon attack was impotent. They got within two points 20 minutes into the third quarter but couldn't get in front, leaving South to restore an 11 point lead at the last break.
South took over again in the last, and their dominance should have been rewarded by a larger victory except for kicking 2.10.
Best were Fischer, Wartman and La Fontaine. Frank Roberts was suspended for two matches for charging. Fischer broke a rib, Roberts was kicked in the stomach and Foster tore ligaments in his leg.
Selected team
B: Ogden, Long, Furniss
HB: F. Roberts, Mueller, McNamara
C: Wartman, La Fontaine, Kelly
HF: Foster, Taylor, Beames
F: Glass, Baggott, Reiffel
Foll: Lewis, Fischer, Jones
19th: Deague
Emg: Ball, Bennett, Kinnear
Notes
Labor Call gives the crowd as 50,758.
Media
Sporting Globe - 23/09/1936
Sun - 25/09/1936
Herald - 25/09/1936
Herald - 25/09/1936
Sun - 25/09/1936
Argus - 28/09/1936
Age - 28/09/1936
Argus - 28/09/1936
Labor Call - 01/10/1936
Record - 03/10/1936
Weekly Times - 03/10/1936
Football Record 1936 Finals
Football Record 1936 Grand Final