Round 3, 1945
Collingwood vs Melbourne
Saturday 5 May
Venue: Victoria Park
Attendance: 12,000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Collingwood | 2.2 | 6.15 | 9.19 | 10.21.81 |
| Melbourne | 3.2 | 5.3 | 8.9 | 11.12.78 |
Collingwood win by 3 points
Goalkickers: Ivan Porter 4, Ron Baggott 3, Fred Fanning, Allan La Fontaine 1, Ralph Latham 1
Milestones:
First Game
Ralph Latham (and first goal)
Norm Leverton
MFC Debut
Roy Stabb
Melbourne's unbeaten start to the season came to an end in a thrilling defeat against the Magpies, who could have put the game out of Melbourne's reach at three quarter time if they'd kicked straight.
The Demons blew their chance to rack up a significant lead with the breeze in the first term. They got the first goal through Baggott from a free before the Pies equalised. Stronger rucks and better marking gave Melbourne the advantage, but they were only a goal better at the first change of ends. Collingwood were no more efficient with the wind, kicking four goals from 17 shots. They had an early scare, with Ivan Porter kicking his third and Baggott adding another, before opening a 17 point lead at half time.
Melbourne made positional changes at half time, and even though they conceded another goal to open the quarter they shaved a point off the lead by the last break. Two goals in a row opened the last quarter and the margin was back to four points. Three misses in a row cut the gap to a point, before Fanning marked and goalled in time on to put his side ahead. Collingwood snatched the win in the last 90 seconds with a hurried snap.
McLean, Deans and Kennedy were best. Leverton made his debut by replacing Stabb (leg injury) in the last quarter.
Seconds
Collingwood 15.17 d. Melbourne 11.17
Notes
Sporting Globe gives the crowd as 11,600.
Media
Sporting Globe - 05/05/1945
Argus - 07/05/1945
Football Record R4 1945