Round 19, 1985
St. Kilda vs Melbourne
Saturday 10 August
Venue: Moorabbin
Attendance: 11,779
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| St. Kilda | 0.2 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 7.8.50 |
| Melbourne | 5.2 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 8.11.59 |
Melbourne win by 9 points
Goalkickers: John Fidge 2, Ted Fidge 2, Adrian Battiston 1, Darryl Cox 1, Russell Richards 1, Mark Withers 1
Brownlow votes:
1 - Mark Withers
Milestones:
50 games
Russell Richards
After eight straight losses, Melbourne travelled to Moorabbin in 10th place but four games clear of the Saints. St Kilda were three games adrift at the bottom of the ladder and on their way to a third straight wooden spoon but they were a chance against the struggling Demons.
Halfway through the second quarter Melbourne led by 35 points, but St Kilda chipped away at the lead and ten minutes in the third quarter they were in front. With the scores level at three-quarter time the locals crossed the fingers and hoped for the best in a last quarter played on the usual Moorabbin mudheap. Despite their local knowledge the Saints would fail to score in the last term and Melbourne's single goal was enough to get them over the line.
Daryl Cox and volatile Saint Robert Mace had a running battle during the afternoon and had to be dragged apart by umpires several times. Cox was taken from the ground after one incident, but returned to play a key role in the ruck in the final quarter.
Facing a battle the next week with top of the ladder Essendon Ron Barassi said "We've played the bottom team and won, and now we'll play the top team and do the same". The victory at Moorabbin would be his last win as a coach until 1993.
Best were Battiston, Hughes and Greg Healy.
Reserves
Melbourne 8.19.67 d. St Kilda 8.10.58
Goals - Wright 2, Bailey 1, Dickson 1, Lyon 1, McCarthy 1, O'Brien 1, Seddon 1
Best - Allday, Bailey, Dickson
Under 19s
St Kilda 9.17.71 d. Melbourne 9.9.63
Goals - Hannant 2, Roe 2, Stynes 1, Hay 1, Hewitson 1, G. Marra 1, Allardice 1
Best - Lane, Stynes, Theoharis
Video
Media
Age - 12/08/1985
Westside Football - 15/08/1985
Football Record - R20 1985