Round 14, 1939
St. Kilda vs Melbourne
Saturday 22 July
Venue: Junction Oval
Attendance: 28,000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| St. Kilda | 1.1 | 3.9 | 6.11 | 10.18.78 |
| Melbourne | 2.1 | 7.6 | 11.11 | 15.12.102 |
Melbourne win by 24 points
Goalkickers: Norm Smith 5, Ron Baggott 2, Percy Beames 2, Les Jones 2, Jack O'Keefe 2, Roy Dowsing 1, Keith Truscott 1
Milestones:
First game and First goal
Roy Dowsing
100 games
Allan La Fontaine
After conceding top spot to St Kilda a week before and losing vice-captain Jack Mueller to suspension Melbourne were not given much chance of being the first team to win at the Junction Oval in 1939. In addition to the suspended Mueller they went in with 12 other players under an injury cloud and their roving stocks down to a skeleton staff. Unable to name a side until 15 minutes before the first bounce - and with Rowley Fischer playing through an injury - the Demons were ragged but nevertheless pulled off a shock win.
From the first bounce the visitors were fastest to the ball, their forwards dominated and St Kilda were unable to break through a strong defence. After the lowest scoring first quarter of any game for the year to date, three quick goals to start the second game gave Melbourne an advantage. Two more to O'Keefe before the break set up a 22 point lead. Two more goals followed at the start of the third term. St Kilda hit back with two of their own but committed mistakes and the gap was soon back out to 30 points.
For the third quarter in a row Melbourne kicked two quick goals to open the last. This set up a match-winning lead. In response St Kilda could only manage two points, before later launching a comeback. They couldn't sustain the pressure, or kick straight, and were beaten comfortably.
Best were La Fontaine, Anderson and Kimberley.
Keith Truscott was reported by the boundary umpire for elbowing St Kilda's Maslen, but was found not guilty when the field umpire testified at the league tribunal that he could not recall the incident. Maslen also gave evidence that he wasn't hit by Truscott.
Seconds
St Kilda 18.22 d. Melbourne 17.11
Goals - Fanning 9, Unknown 8
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Sporting Globe - 19/07/1939
Herald - 21/07/1939
Sporting Globe - 22/07/1939
Herald - 22/07/1939
Age - 24/07/1939
Sporting Globe - 26/07/1939
Football Record Interstate Game 1939
Argus 26/07/1939