Round 21, 1987
Melbourne vs West Coast
Friday 21 August
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 21,048
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 3.10 | 7.13 | 12.15 | 18.21.129 |
| West Coast | 0.1 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 10.8.68 |
Melbourne win by 61 points
Goalkickers: Greg Healy 4, Robert Flower 2, Stephen Newport 2, Brian Wilson 2, Bret Bailey 1, Ricky Jackson 1, Garry Lyon 1, Steven Stretch 1, Jim Stynes 1, Todd Viney 1, David Williams 1, Graeme Yeats 1
Brownlow Votes:
3 - Sean Wight
2 - Steven Stretch
1 - Brian Wilson
Milestones:
Nil
Melbourne's finals rollercoaster ride continued with another win, and the chance to sit back and watch the rest of the weekend's footy to know what they would have to do the next week to get in.
The Eagles too were playing for the chance to go into Round 22 alive in the finals race, and for the second week in a row players ran from the other end of the ground to join a nervous pre-match brawl, but by quarter time they only had one behind on the board. If Melbourne had kicked accurately instead of compiling a wasteful 3.10 the game would have been over there and then but instead they had to play the game out, increasing their lead bit by bit throughout the match. At one point during the quarter they were 3.1 before inaccuracy set in.
The goal that broke the Eagles back came controversially with a Greg Healy dribbler off the ground being stopped by the leg of Eagle Laurie Keene who the umpires eventually decided was over the line when it hit him.
One supporter was so surprised at the way Melbourne demolished the Eagles and kept their finals dream alive he was heard to yell "That's ridiculous Melbourne, only good teams do that!"
Best were Wilson, Stretch and Wight. Rod Grinter and Steve O'Dwyer were both reported. Grinter was suspended for three weeks for striking and O'Dwyer two - it was O'Dwyer's third two match ban of the year.
Reserves
North Melbourne 21.13.139 d. Melbourne 17.15.117
Goals - Rugolo 4, Richards 3, Turner 3, Eishold 2, Smith 1, S. Febey 1, Lamb 1, Smit 1, Hewitson 1
Best - Turner, Eishold, Rugolo
Under 19s
BYE
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Age - 22/08/1987
Age - 27/08/1987
Football Record R22 1987