Round 1, 1997
North Melbourne vs Melbourne
Thursday 27 March
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 35,802
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| North Melbourne | 2.1 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 7.13.55 |
| Melbourne | 2.2 | 4.5 | 8.9 | 10.10.70 |
Melbourne win by 15 points
Goalkickers: Sean Charles 3, Jeff Farmer 3, Alastair Clarkson 1, Anthony Ingerson 1, Brett Lovett 1, Garry Lyon 1
Brownlow votes:
3 - Shaun Smith
2 - Jeff Farmer
1 - Jim Stynes
Milestones:
First game
Shane Woewodin
First MFC game
Robert Pyman
On the night they unfurled their 1996 premiership flag, North Melbourne was expected to easily account for 1996 disappointments Melbourne. It was the Demons' first game since the merger turmoil, and they were one of the popular picks to finish at the bottom of the ladder but had the benefit of wet conditions affecting scoring, and game-ending injuries to North stars Wayne Carey (shoulder) and Corey McKernan (knee) before half time.
Melbourne narrowly had the better of the low-scoring first half, holding a seven point lead at the long break. Sean Charles made the difference, kicking three goals in the third term to open up a winning lead.
The win was sealed when Jeff Farmer kicked a second goal without the ball being returned to the centre of the ground, after a frustrated David King kicked the ball into the stands after failing to stop Brett Lovett kicking a goal. It left Melbourne 28 points in front, and while North kicked two goals late they couldn't make up the difference.
Neil Balme said: "We had a terrific approach to the game. Some of the chase-downs and things like that were fantastic, and you've got to be switched on to do that". It was his last win as a coach, the Demons didn't win another game before he was sacked after Round 9.
Best were Todd Viney, Andrew Leoncelli and Jeff Farmer. Farmer later alleged he was the victim of racist comments by a North Melbourne player and the matter was settled by the AFL's confidential mediation process.
Reserves
Melbourne 11.14.80 d. North Melbourne 11.11.77
Goals - Bradly 4, Grgic 2, Gardiner 1, Goodale 1, Kowal 1, Robertson 1, Seecamp 1
Best - Bassett, Goodale, Pesch
Links
Demon Chronicle
Age - 28/03/1997, 17/04/1997