Saturday 8 September - Melbourne Ground
Crowd: 8000
Melbourne 3.9
Hotham 1.6 (half time 1.4-0.5)
Melbourne win by 2 goals
Goalkickers: Carr 2, Propsting 1
The two sides met for the third time in 1883, and with each team having won one game against each other for the year. A large crowd turned up to see the game played on the football field with the cricket ground grandstand reversed.
Both teams had a number of players missing, including Collins, Conway and Booth for Melbourne, and Hotham made the first score of the game with a behind but the home side managed the first major of the game through Propsting. The home side were dominant, even though they only won by a small margin. After the first goal Hotham had a brief period of dominance, but they weren't able to break through and went to half time a goal behind.
Melbourne's goal was well defended by McDonald, and he helped keep Hotham at bay until half time. Hotham's players kicked too indiscriminately, while Melbourne showed better teamwork. Carr got the second after half time, and despite Hotham managing their first goal of the game Melbourne ran out the game better and got the sealer through Carr in the last minutes.
Best were McDonald, McKenzie and Walsh.
Media
The Argus - 10/09/1883
The Age - 10/09/1883
Sportsman - 12/09/1883
Leader - 15/09/1883
Australasian - 15/09/1883
Australasian - 15/09/1883
Weekly Times - 15/09/1883