Round 11, 1939
Hawthorn vs Melbourne
Saturday 1 July
Venue: Glenferrie Oval
Attendance: 8000
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Hawthorn | 1.1 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 8.4.52 |
| Melbourne | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.10 | 7.12.54 |
Melbourne win by 2 points
Goalkickers: Jack Mueller 2, Ray Wartman 2, Harold Ball 1, Ron Barassi 1, Harry Harley 1
Milestones:
Nil
Melbourne's up and down form continued on the narrow Glenferrie Oval, a ground which they had traditionally had trouble winning at. A week before they had obliterated Collingwood in the victory of the season, but were forced to rely on a superior amount of scoring shots to beat the Mayblooms despite kicking one less goal.
As well as the irreguarly sized ground the weather was also a great leveller, with pouring rain adding to windy and cold conditions to wreck any chance of the match being a spectacle. Players were forced to adopt soccer style tactics in the slush which hit all six league games on the day, but Glenferrie Oval was in especially shocking condition. After a successful switch into the ruck a week earlier, Jack Mueller found the weather didn't suit him in the same role.
The visitors kicked with the wind in the first quarter, and kicked the first four goals of the game. Hawthorn defended strongly and got the last goal of the term to keep the damage to just 20 points. By half time they led by four, after holding Melbourne to just two behinds for the second quarter. Just after the third quarter started more heavy rain fell, making the ball almost impossible to hold, and until the final minutes Hawthorn had kept Melbourne goalless, before finally conceding one to Jack Mueller.
The wind had dropped, but the home side still had the advantage of kicking with it from only a point behind at the last change. They got the first goal, before Ball got Melbourne's sixth to put his side back in front. Hawthorn hit the front again, before the injured Wartman, reduced to hobbling around the forward line, took a mark at close range and kicked the winning goal in the last couple of minutes.
Best were Lock, Ball and Furniss. Ron Barassi was reported for striking and suspended for 4 matches. Giles replaced Harley (head injury) in the last quarter and Murnane injured his leg. Roberts was a late withdrawal with an arm injury.
Hawthorn - and the weather - stopped Melbourne's VFL record streak of century scores at 10. Despite the narrow victory Melbourne remained top of the ladder.
Seconds
Melbourne 16.18 d. Hawthorn 6.5
Goals - Gibbs 6, Fanning 3, Adams 2, Cuttriss 2, Symonds 1, Hall 1, O'Keefe 1
Best - Cuttriss, Gibbs, Archibald
Lists
Tribunal
Notes
Other sources have the Seconds score as 6.4.40
Media
Sporting Globe - 01/07/1939
Herald - 03/07/1939
Argus - 07/07/1939
Football Record - R12 1939