Round 3, 1998
Brisbane Lions vs Melbourne
Monday 13 April
Venue: Gabba
Attendance: 17,161
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Brisbane | 2.4 | 4.6 | 9.13 | 12.15.87 |
| Melbourne | 4.4 | 10.7 | 12.8 | 15.10.100 |
Melbourne win by 13 points
Goalkickers: Craig Smoker 4, Steven Febey 2, Jeff Farmer 1, Brent Grgic 1, Garry Lyon 1, James McDonald 1, David Neitz 1, Russell Robertson 1, Jeff White 1, Adem Yze 1
Brownlow votes:
3 - Todd Viney
2 - Steven Febey
1 - Craig Smoker
Best and Fairest
37 - Steven Febey
35 - Jamie Shanahan
20 - Adem Yze
19 - Brent Grgic
18 - Craig Smoker
Milestones:
First goal
Craig Smoker (3rd game)
50 games
Adem Yze
With hot Queensland weather predicted there was a chance that the Easter Monday game would be moved to a night match, with the AFL monitoring Brisbane's weather patterns and potentially changing the time of the game. It stayed as a day match and was played in 27 degree sunshine with 79% humidity. A supporter donated 22 ice jackets for the players to wear in the sweltering conditions. It was the only day game scheduled at the Gabba early in the season, a year after St Kilda had lost by nearly 100 points in similar conditions. The difference was that in 1997 Brisbane had been a finals side, while they were now coming off two consecutive losses and had nine senior players out with injury.
The match was played in 30 degree temperatures with high humidity, and by early in the second quarter players were already visibly wilting in the conditions. Neale Daniher rotated his ruckmen and midfielders through the bench all day to keep them as fresh as possible. Despite the weather, the visitors were as much as 37 points in front before Brisbane fought back to cut the margin to seven early in the last quarter. As they had a week earlier, Melbourne withstood the comeback and steadied to win. After spending the first quarter on the bench, Craig Smoker kicked two of his four goals from free kicks within minutes to give his side breathing room. It was Melbourne's first back-to-back wins since Round 15, 1995.
Despite the win, Neale Daniher was scathing of the game not being moved. He said "It's ridiculous the game being played in the middle of the day. The players on both sides were fantastic and I hope the AFL will have a good look at it". Some players lost up to five kilograms during the match.
Best were Viney, Steve Febey and Shanahan. Brent Grgic was reported for striking Nick Trask with an arm to the head in the third quarter. He was suspended for two matches. Shaun Smith (knee) was replaced in the selected side by Russell Robertson. Jeff Farmer suffered back-related hamstring issues.
Reserves (played Sunday 12 April)
Melbourne 7.9.51 drew St Kilda 6.15.51
Best - Ward, Johnstone, Beams
Goals - B. Williams 3, Beams 2, Donald Cockatoo-Collins 1, Tingay 1
Lists
Tribunal
Media
Age - 28/11/1997, 05/04/1998, 10/04/1998, 14/04/1998, 16/04/1998
Football Record - R4 1998