Round 18, 1989
Fitzroy vs Melbourne
Saturday 5 August
Venue: Princes Park
Attendance: 11,090
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Fitzroy | 2.1 | 6.5 | 16.7 | 23.13.151 |
| Melbourne | 3.8 | 10.8 | 13.11 | 15.13.103 |
Fitzroy win by 48 points
Goalkickers: Darren Bennett 3, Brian Wilson 3, Ricky Jackson 2, Steven Stretch 2, Sean Wight 2, David Flintoff 1, Danny Hughes 1, Jim Stynes 1
Brownlow Votes:
1 - Jim Stynes
Milestones:
Last Game
Warren Dean
With a comfortable half-time lead Melbourne booted the first goal of the third term to extend their margin to nearly six goals and it looked like they were going to smash the Roys. Then it all went horribly wrong. Earlier they missed chances which would have given them an even bigger lead than 27 points at half-time, but they'd still dominated all over the ground and there was no ready indication that the Lions were going to mount a comeback. Then they kicked 17 goals to five in the second half.
As Fitzroy's fast running game began to take hold, Richard Osborne and Paul Roos sprang to life in the third quarter. They kicked nine between them on the way to a match total of 11 and between respectively. Osborne ran through Steven Febey, Sean Wight, Tony Campbell and Rod Grinter on his way to a career best haul.
Conversely forwards Danny Hughes and Darren Bennett couldn't get near it and the ballspent much of the time camped in the Lions forward line. A structure that had racked up seven goals in a row in the second quarter was now limp and lifeless.
A frustrated John Northey said: "I can't work out the form reversal from one half to the other. In the first quarter we could have put it beyond them, yet we let them run over the top of us".
Luke Beveridge and Brian Wilson were both reported for striking but found not guilty.
Reserves
Fitzroy 16.19.115 d. Melbourne 6.16.52
Goals - Putamorsi 2, Rennie 1, Power 1, Eishold 1, Cuthbertson 1
Best - G.Lovett, Eishold, Viney
Under 19s
Carlton 10.14.74 d. Melbourne 6.10.46
Goals - Farrell 2, Keogh 1, Lamb 1, Turner 1, Keipert 1
Best - Ford, Keogh, Partington
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Canberra Times - 05/08/1989
Canberra Times - 06/08/1989
Age - 07/08/1989
Inside Football - 09/08/1989
Football Record R19 1989