Round 12, 1909
Melbourne vs South Melbourne
Saturday 17 July
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 16,270
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 1.1 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 3.6.24 |
| South Melbourne | 0.4 | 2.8 | 6.8 | 6.9.45 |
South Melbourne win by 21 points
Goalkickers: Harry Brereton 2, Alf Jones 1
Milestones:
Last Game
Jim Fargie
The sides played a slow first quarter short on quality and scoring, with much of the blame falling on a surface that was barely fit for play. With most of the kicking being done off the ground the conditions led to numerous players falling over or slipping, and to Melbourne kicking the only goal of the opening term. Against the run of play Brereton got the opening goal, but South had four chances missed and when they came to grips with the conditions in the second quarter they took the advantage.
The South Melbourne captain was injured, and he played the second half useless as a player and acting as an on-field coach. It didn't affect them, as they kicked four goals to one to take a 25 point lead. Neither team added a goal in the last term, with the Reds doing most of the attacking against a makeshift South backline but not converting, chipping just four points off the lead by virtue of behinds.
Best were Flintoft and Strong.
Defeat left Melbourne half a game behind Essendon in the race for fourth place.
Media
Age - 19/07/1909
Punch - 22/07/1909
Australasian - 24/07/1909