Round 12, 1998
Melbourne vs Geelong
Saturday 13 June
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 41,567
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 0.1 | 1.3 | 4.4 | 7.4.46 |
| Geelong | 7.2 | 15.3 | 18.7 | 22.9.141 |
Geelong win by 95 points
Goalkickers: Garry Lyon 2, Craig Smoker 2, Travis Johnstone 1, Troy Longmuir 1, Jeff White 1
Brownlow Votes:
Nil
Best and Fairest
25 - Garry Lyon
23 - Andrew Leoncelli
17 - Marcus Seecamp
17 - Adem Yze
9 - Jamie Shanahan
Milestones:
First goal
Troy Longmuir (3rd game)
Statistical categories led:
Biggest loss in Round 12
A week earlier, Melbourne comfortably beat Hawthorn in the wet, but back at the MCG in similar conditions they were thrashed. The Demons didn't kick a goal until they were nearly 100 points behind, via Garry Lyon at the 28 minute mark of the second quarter. Melbourne stemmed the tide in the second half and narrowly avoided a triple figure loss. Geelong was averaging fewer than 80 points a game for the season to date, but had 93 on the board before half time.
Neale Daniher tried to get his game back into the side in the first half by rotating midfielders but to no avail. He addressed the team as they left the ground at half time, saying the game was out of reach but urging them to fight on and win the second half.
Best were Lyon, Yze and Smoker. Jamie Shanahan injured his foot and was reported for striking Brett Spinks (two week suspension). Thsi tribual described his attempted spoil as 'reckless', and Melbourne was unhappy with the two week penalty after suggesting one week when the charge was upheld. David Schwarz hurt his hamstring in the dying minutes of the last quarter and missed three weeks. Steven Febey suffered a thumb injury.
Neale Daniher said "Obviously a very disappointing day for our club and we need to sit back and have a look at why we were so poor early. The Geelong midfield just dominated the game and we had no answers to their on-ball superiority."
Reserves
Melbourne 16.14.110 d. Geelong 12.15.87
Goals - Smith 5, Kowal 2, J.McDonald 2, Nettlebeck 2, Williams 2, Beams 1, Cann 1, Walsh 1
Best - Brown, Bradly, Beams
Reported - Gaspar (pushing)
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Age - 12/06/1998, 13/06/1998, 14/06/1998, 15/06/1998, 16/06/1998
Football Record R13 1998