Round 21, 1986
Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Saturday 23 August
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 15,110
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 5.3 | 11.9 | 19.12 | 28.14.182 |
| North Melbourne | 5.2 | 8.6 | 13.7 | 14.13.97 |
Melbourne win by 85 points
Goalkickers: David Williams 9, Greg Healy 4, Robert Flower 3, Peter Moore 3, Adrian Battiston 2, Alan Jarrott 2, Chris Connolly 1, Garry Lyon 1, Stephen Newport 1, Brian Wilson 1, Shane Zantuck 1
Brownlow Votes:
3 - Chris Connolly
2 - Steve Turner
1 - David Williams
Milestones:
Nil
Statistical Categories Led:
Equal highest score in a match, against North Melbourne and at the MCG
Highest score in Round 21
With North sitting just outside the five and facing a team with nothing left to gain in 1986 they started warm favourites. Melbourne on the other hand had suffered a terrible season where they could barely put a competitive score together, so nobody - not even the most ardent Demon fan - saw the Demons biggest ever score in VFL/AFL football coming.
A tight, high scoring first quarter saw the Demons hold a narrow lead, and they extended the gap at the half by three goals at half time. Having already scored more in a half than they did in most matches during the season Melbourne were about to unleash an avalanche in the second half.
North had recently announced that they were going to float their club on the stock exchange, and the second half would have been a disaster for their share price. By the time the 17 goal to six second half ended David Williams, playing just his fourth game of the year thanks to persistent injuries had helped himself to a career high nine goals at full-forward. Greg Healy too was dominant in the centre, racking up 36 touches and four goals.
North all but bowed out of the finals race in embarrassing fashion and the Demons showed that they had a core of youngsters for the future. Healy, Williams and Paul Payne were best.
It was a day for high scores, a few kilometres away at Princes Park Hawthorn racked up 35.15.225 in a 135 point demolition of Geelong. The mark has since been equalled, ironically also against North Melbourne. The win, and Geelong's outrageous performance, helped Melbourne jump to 10th, just percentage shy of 9th placed Richmond. Both sides were four games behind the next side though so ninth was as good as it would get for any of the three teams.
Reserves
Melbourne 18.15.123 d. North Melbourne 13.15.93
Goals - Giles 4, T. Fidge 3, Jackson 3, Sizer 2, O'Dwyer 2, Withers 2, Bailey 1, Dickson 1
Best - Grinter, Bailey, Campbell
Reported - Grinter (striking)
Under 19s
North Melbourne 29.18.192 d. Melbourne 8.7.55
Goals - Aitken 2, Dunstan 2, Hannant 2, Roe 1, Sparks 1
Best - Hannant, Cartledge, Allardice
Lists
Highest Scores
Media
Age - 25/08/1986
Football Record R22 1986