Round 5, 1998
Melbourne vs Port Adelaide
Sunday 26 April
Venue: MCG
Attendance: 21,726
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 3.6 | 7.9 | 12.13 | 14.18.102 |
| Port Adelaide | 0.5 | 2.8 | 5.13 | 6.17.53 |
Melbourne win by 49 points
Goalkickers: Jeff White 4, Russell Robertson 2, David Schwarz 2, Travis Johnstone 1, Anthony McDonald 1, James McDonald 1, Shaun Smith 1, Todd Viney 1, Shane Woewodin 1
Brownlow votes:
3 - Todd Viney
2 - Jeff White
1 - Matthew Febey
Best and Fairest
39 - Jeff White
36 - Steven Febey
34 - Todd Viney
33 - Jamie Shanahan
14 - Anthony McDonald
Milestones:
First game
Matthew Bishop
With their fourth win in a row, Melbourne equalled in one month their entire 1997 success. For the first time since July 18, 1987 they did it without Jim Stynes. The ruckman had racked up 244 straight games before breaking his hand in the Round 4 clash with Carlton. Stynes had surgery to wire the broken bone, but he gave himself every chance of playing by having a lightweight protective cast made for his hand. He was ultimately ruled out, with the club not wanting to risk aggravating the injury and losing him for longer.
Melbourne was also without David Neitz, who'd broken his ankle against Carlton, and the suspended Marcus Seecamp. First-gamer Matthew Bishop was included immediately after being elevated from the rookie list, with a spot created on the senior side by the delisting of David Cockatoo-Collins.
In the first quarter, Melbourne kicked the first three goals of the game while Port only managed five behinds in reply. The margin was 31 at half time, and after Port made early progress in the third term they were stopped by two goals by Russell Robertson and another from Travis Johnstone. Then Shane Woewodin who picked the ball up at half-back, took five bounces down the Southern Stand wing and goalled on the run from just inside 50. By the final break the margin was back to 42 points.
Best were White, S. Febey and Viney. Shaun Smith suffered a concussion, Garry Lyon a mild concussion and Jeff White a cut eye. Darren Kowal replaced Andrew Leoncelli (quadricep strain) in the selected side.
After the game Neale Daniher said "I went into the game a little nervous, with five changes from last week. So it's very exciting to make those changes and come away with a 50-point win."
Reserves
Hawthorn 9.16.70 d. Melbourne 6.14.50
Goals - Cann 1, B. Williams 1, Longmuir 1, Ward 1, Beams 1, Donald Cockatoo-Collins 1
Best - Longmuir, Lamaro, Ward
Media
Age - 23/04/1998, 24/04/1998, 27/04/1998
Football Record R6 1998