Round 18, 1940
Melbourne vs North Melbourne
Saturday 31 August
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 5596
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 2.7 | 7.13 | 11.17 | 18.21.129 |
| North Melbourne | 2.5 | 2.8 | 5.14 | 11.15.81 |
Melbourne win by 48 points
Goalkickers: Percy Beames 4, Norm Smith 4, Roy Dowsing 2, Maurie Gibb 2, Alby Rodda 2, Ron Baggott 1, Adrian Dullard 1, Jack Mueller 1, Jack O'Keefe 1
Milestones:
First goal
Adrian Dullard (2nd game)
With top spot on the ladder sewn up and a week off on the horizon the Demons eased to victory over the disappointing Shinboners despite never stepping out of first gear.
North, who had to deal with a number of last minute changes, stayed in touch until the end of the first quarter. They were lucky that Melbourne attacked poorly, only opening a two point lead. Melbourne took off in the second term, holding North goalless and adding five goals to be in front by 35. North experimented with two rovers to try and counter Melbourne's ruck supremacy, but it backfired and they conceded 5.6 to 0.3.
The landslide continued at the start of the third quarter with the Demons kicking first goal, before North clawed a point off the margin by three quarter time. They also kicked the first two of the last term, before 19th man Dowsing kicked two in a row as part of a seven goal to six last quarter.
Best were Mueller, La Fontaine and Baggott. 19th man Dowsing replaced Lock (injured ankle) in the third quarter.
Seconds
Melbourne 19.14 d. North Melbourne 10.12
Goals - Fanning 7, Hall 5, Unknown 7
Notes
Official attendance from Sporting Globe. Other sources give 5500 as the crowd.
Media
Sporting Globe - 31/08/1940
Sporting Globe - 31/08/1940
Argus - 02/09/1940
Football Record 1940 Week 1 Finals