Round 17, 1998
North Melbourne vs Melbourne
Saturday 25 July
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 36,042
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| North Melbourne | 5.4 | 9.8 | 12.14 | 22.20.152 |
| Melbourne | 2.4 | 7.6 | 11.7 | 13.9.87 |
North Melbourne win by 65 points
Goalkickers: David Neitz 4, Garry Lyon 3, Jeff Farmer 2, Matthew Febey 2, Guy Rigoni 1, Todd Viney 1
Brownlow Votes:
Nil
Best and Fairest
26 - Guy Rigoni
25 - David Neitz
22 - Anthony McDonald
20 - Darren Kowal
14 - Jeff White
Milestones:
Last game
Shaun Smith
After beating the Roos earlier in the season, and with North coming back from a six day break after playing in Perth, without a suspended Glenn Archer, Melbourne targeted the game as winnable. They had been impressive in dispatching Fremantle on the same ground a week earlier, but this time ran into a red-hot Wayne Carey. During the week, North Melbourne coach Denis Pagan complained to the AFL’s umpires coach about the treatment Wayne Carey. Neale Daniher contacted the AFL to clarify the discussions, and ensure the umpires “keep an open view on this”. He got no frees, but still kicked 8.4.
Anthony Ingerson started on Carey, but after conceding four goals by midway through the second term Jamie Shanahan was moved onto him. At one stage in the third term the Demons were close, and playing with momentum, but their attack wilted under the pressure of the more experienced Roos. After being well held by Shanahan, Carey added three goals in the final term.
Marcus Seecamp was reported for striking North's Brett Chandler. He received a two match ban after testimony that the ex-Fitzroy teammates were actually best friends who were going on an end of season fishing trip together later in the year. Garry Lyon was reported for attempting to trip an opponent with his leg in the opening minutes of the game after being wrong-footed but was cleared.
Before the bounce the Demons lost Paul Hopgood with a calf strain, and Travis Johnstone came in as a late replacement. Andrew Leoncelli and Garry Lyon also had to pass fitness tests before playing.
Neale Daniher said "We were pretty good until three-quarter time, but we weren't able to sustain the intensity. I think we're ready to be a top-eight side. We've got five more games and I think we're good enough to fall somewhere in the bottom part of the eight."
Best were Matthew Febey, David Neitz and Jeff White.
Reserves
Melbourne 20.17.137 d. North Melbourne 16.15.111
Best - Bradly, Gaspar, Lovett
Goals - Schwarz 4, Williams 3, Cann 3, G. Lovett 2, Collins 2, Smoker 2, Beams 1, Cockatoo-Collins 1, Nettelbeck 1, Ottens 1
Lists
Tribunal
Notes
Age 26/07 and 27/07 shows the crowd as 26,042.
Media
Age - 24/07/1998, 25/07/1998, 26/07/1998, 29/07/1998
Sydney Morning Herald - 26/07/1998
Football Record - R18 1998