Round 15, 1985
Footscray vs Melbourne
Saturday 6 July
Venue: Western Oval
Attendance: 15,328
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Footscray | 4.5 | 9.10 | 18.11 | 26.13.169 |
| Melbourne | 1.2 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 6.13.49 |
Footscray win by 120 points
Goalkickers: Ted Fidge 3, Alan Jarrott 1, Michael O'Sullivan 1, Brian Wilson 1
Brownlow Votes:
Nil
Milestones:
Only Game
Bret Hutchinson
Statistical categories led:
Biggest loss against Footscray and at the Western Oval
Ron Barassi suffered the low moment of his tenure at the Demons, and possibly his entire coaching career, as the Bulldogs ran away to a thumping victory with Simon Beasley contributing 12 goals.
He was dealing with an injury list featuring 17 players, but nothing excused the horrific display that his side put out at the Western Oval. The margin had been worrying but not humiliating at three quarter time before the Dogs booted 9.1 to 0.3. Another eight goals to two in the last quarter would push the margin over twenty goals. It was, not surprisingly, their biggest ever win against Melbourne.
The drums had started to beat for Barassi, and newspaper reports suggested that unless he chose to step down at the end of the year he would be sacked. Questioned about his future he said that giving away coaching was his last thought. "You don't chuck in the towel" he said, "we have a week's rest and we will regroup". However later that week he announced he would retire at the end of the season.
Best were O'Sullivan, Wilson and Hughes but to compound Barassi's misery Hughes was reported for striking Andrew Purser but was cleared.
It was Melbourne's biggest ever loss at the ground.
Video
Reserves
Footscray 12.16.88 d. Melbourne 12.14.86
Goals - Armstrong 4, Grinter 3, Dann 1, Hutchison 1, McCarty 1, Withers 1
Best - Brunnen, McCarty, Wight
Under 19s
Footscray 15.16 d. Melbourne 9.12
Goals - Sparks 2, Lyon 1, Hannant 1, G. Marra 1, Murphy 1, Roe 1, Stynes 1
Best - Brody, Normington, Marra
Lists
100 point losses
Tribunal
Media
Age - 08/07/1985
Football Record R16 1985