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FITZROY OVERHAUL DEMONS
10 point lead
at the bell
By LES -CARBARNS
Fitzroy's strength and fighting finish overpowered
Melbourne by 10 points in one of the most desperate
finishes of the season. Melbourne's pace and cleverness
nearly turned the tide but the Maroons would not
be sidetracked, and finished like champions.
Melbourne v. Fitzroy
1st .
2 5
2nd .
3 11
3rd .
7 13
Final
11 17
MELBOURNE. — B.: Spencer,
Arnold. Christie. H.B.:
Collins, T. McLean, McMahen.
C.: I. McLean. Bickford,
Jackson. H.F.: McKenzie,
McGivern, Beckwith. P.: Wilson.
Clarke, Thomson. R.:
Cordner, Ferguson. Albiston.
19, 20: Lack, Lane.
FITZROY.—B.: Ross, Chanter,
Stephen. H.B.: Gafl'ney.
Goodger, Roberts. C.: Jarvis,
Broderick, Wright. H.F.:
Streader, Magee, Gervasoni.
F.: Johnstone. Ongarello,
Ruthver. R.: Gale, McGregor.
Coates. 19, 20: Anderson.
Harding.
Umpire: Blumfleld.
At MCG: Official attendance.
25,089. Takings,
£1495/12/11.
Melbourne suffered a
severe set-back when Mike
Woods was unable to play.
Jarvis collared Mc-
Gregor's knock out and
passed to Ongarello in
front, but the forward
kicked weakly. Ruthven
quickly made amends, however,
goaling with a snap
shot.
Fitzroy's bustling methods
were in evidence as
thev broke through for
second goal by Ongarello,
but Melbourne, with Cordner
prominent, fought back
and McKenzie ran in to
score their first goal.
Driving straight down
the centre, Melbourne had
the edge on the Maroons,
and when McGivern goaled
the scores were level
at 2.2.
Fitzroy attacked strongly,
but strong defence by
McMahon and Spencer
kept them down to three
points, and when Bickford
drove the ball forward Mc-
Kenzie chipped in for Melbourne's
third goal to give
them a four points lead at
the first change.
Playing vigorously, Fitzroy
had most of the play,
but the vigilant Melbourne
defence stopped any real
breakaway.
RUGGED PLAY
The football was not
brilliant, but its ruggedness
appealed to the
crowd. It was give and
take and many breaches
were missed by Umpire
Blumfleld, who had a hard
task. After 20 minutes of
hard battling no goals had
been scored.
Ruthven sent Fitzroy
into attack, but Melbourne
pushed the Maroons back
and Albiston, picking up
cleanly, ran on for 50 yards
and coolly drop-kicked
fourth goal.
Fitzroy, quickly replied
Ruthven cleverly screwing
the ball through for third
goal. Battling fiercely in
the centre, Broderick had
a chance, but Cordner
saved the goal with a
towering leap, although
the mark was disallowed.
At the interval, the scores
were level after a rugged,
scragging quarter.
Chanter stopped Melbourne's
first advance, but
when Albiston forced the
ball up to the forward
zone again Wilson calmly
booted the fifth goal.
After some heavy ruck
duels Gervasoni easily
scored for Fitzroy.
Goals by Thomson and
Wilson took the Demons
to an 11-points lead, but
when McGregor superbly
passed to Ruthven for a
goal the difference was
only five points.
S
When McGivern and
Ongarello goaled in turn.
Melbourne's lead was still
five points. Then Clarke
marked in front of Chanter
for ninth goal. A
great mark by Stephen
stopped Melbourne's next
move and, in a drive down
the centre. Gervasoni picked
up smartly for seventh
goal to make the difference
five points in Melbourne's
favor.
Solid bumps were liberally
exchanged and players
scragged each other knowing
that the umpire was
letting th'ngs go.
Johnstone goaled for
Fitzroy and Clarke replied
for Melbourne, and
when Johnstone took a
grand mark to goal again,
Fitzroy had a point lead.
Melbourne went to the
front when Wilson goaled,
but the Maroons fought
back for a lovely goal by
Coates and four points.
Fitzroy had come back
with a vengeance, and
when Streader goaled
there was a jubilant roar
from the crowd.
There was purpose and
strength in Fitzroy's finish
and, although at times
they were beaten for pace,
their never say die spirit
prevailed in a magnificent
last quarter.
Goalkickers. — Fitzroy:
Ruthven (3), Ongarello
(2), Gervasoni (2), Johnstone
(2), Coates, Steader
Melbourne: Wilson (3),
McKenzie (3), Clarke (2)
Albiston, Thomson, Mc-
Givern.
Best Players. — Fitzroy:
Stephen. Wright, Jarvis.
Gervasoni, Johnstone,
Gale. Melbourne: Albiston,
McMahen. Cordner, Arnold,
Wilson, McKenzie,
pencer.
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