Round 2, 1931
Essendon vs Melbourne
Saturday 9 May
Venue: Windy Hill
Attendance: 15,000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Essendon | 2.2 | 5.4 | 8.4 | 12.5.77 |
| Melbourne | 2.5 | 4.7 | 8.11 | 10.13.73 |
Essendon win by 4 points
Goalkickers: Robert C Johnson 5, George Margitich 3, Ted Esposito 1, Richard Taylor 1
Milestones:
First Game
Frank Smith
For the second consecutive week the Redlegs played a thriller, but this time they were on the wrong end of the final result as Essendon's accurate kicking for goal helped them overturn a three quarter time deficit to win.
In a poor game, not up the usual fast and open standards of the two sides, both teams spent much of the game fumbling under intense pressure from the opposition. Melbourne won the toss and chose to kick with the wind, but the home side were the aggressors from the first bounce and soon had the first goal. Once they got into the game the Reds steadied, kicking two goals and restricting Essendon to a three point lead.
After failing with their use of the wind the visitors did well to restrict Essendon to a three goal to two second quarter. The locals got the first goal, before Melbourne hit back. They had the lead when Johnson goalled, before Essendon snuck back ahead at the last break with the final goal of the half.
Melbourne hit the lead again at the start of the third quarter, before Essendon recovered to regain the lead and have chances of their own. They were only kept out by tenacious defence by Vine and Abernethy. Melbourne got back in front through Johnson again. He had two more by the end of the quarter to leave his side seven points ahead.
Not only did Essendon have to come from behind at three quarter time, they also had to battle back from a 20 point deficit with 10 minutes to play. Melbourne kicked the opening goal of the term before Essendon got a run on, and the opposition burst back into life with four goals in a row to win.
Ogden, Vine and Tymms were best. Jack Collins was 19th man and replaced Smith at three quarter time.
Seconds
Melbourne 19.16.130 d. Essendon 12.14.86
Media
Sporting Globe - 09/05/1931
Football Record R3 1931