Round 1, 1948
Melbourne vs Essendon
Saturday, 17 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 28,664
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 5.2 | 6.2 | 9.4 | 12.5.77 |
| Essendon | 4.1 | 8.5 | 8.11 | 13.18.96 |
Essendon win by 19 points
Goalkickers: Bob McKenzie 5, Eric Roscoe 2, Des Bell 1, Len Dockett 1, Adrian Dullard 1, Jim Mitchell 1, Frank Scanlan 1
Milestones:
First game and first goal
Bob McKenzie
Eric Roscoe
Last Game
Des Bell
After an unsatisfying pre-season where they'd had to play at Olympic Park, the Demons were beaten in their first game of the new campaign.
The new season opened in spectacular fashion for debutant Bob McKenzie, who kicked four goals in the opening quarter. He added just one more to the end of the match, but it was an impressive debut. His fellow first game Eric Roscoe kicked two goals, meaning more than half the Demons' goals were kicked by first gamers.
After Melbourne took a narrow lead into the second quarter on the back of McKenzie's heroics, Essendon recaptured the lead by half time and held it for the rest of the match to record a first up win.
Rodda, Lock and McGrath were best.
Seconds
Essendon 11.15.81 d. Melbourne 5.10.40
Media
Herald - 16/04/1948
Football Record R2 1948