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FITZROY (11.7) BEAT ST. KILDA (8.12).
For fine, strenuous,"" determined "football noth
ing could have excelled the game played be
tween Fitzroy aud St. Hilda on the seasiders'
ground. The previous match between these
clubs was won by Fitzroy after a keen struggle
by only 5 points. Well knowing St. Hilda's
strength, notwithstanding their lowly position on
tho premiership list, Fitzroy recognised that on
Saturday they had no light task to secure a vic
tory. Taking the game right through, thcie
was little indeed to choose between tlie team.
Fitzroy simply won because their forwards made
-the most of thair cha..ce&. Three goals, clear in
the first quarter, 4.2 iu the final quarter, and an
aggregate of 11.7, proved too much for a team
that lias been beaten quile half a dozen times thi3
season, merely through inaccurate shooting for
goal. Tlie St. Kilda executive should spend the
recess in search of a reliable goal kicker. Should
one be found before next season, then brir
chances of a -place in the final four, for the first
time en record. 6hould be of -the rosiest. Both
teams showed great brilliancy and dash, and won
derful staying powers. It was a battle of highly
trained a-thlotcs, and to the onlookers exhilarating
in the extreme. Terrific pace, accurate passing,
clever dodging and high marking were all a tea-
ture of the play of both -Learns. At half time
Fitzroy led by eight points. Then came a won
derful change. Within eight minutes St. Kilda,
by a wonderful rally, which was irresistible,
scored 4 goals and 2 bcliinds. At one time tne
home team led by 22 points, and might luve
made victory almost certain, for Gravonall and
Uak?r had shots within ten yards of goal which
did -not even yield bchlnds. Fitzroy, however,
never lost heart, and, rallying towards the close
of the quarter, reduced St. Hilda's advantage t-o
12 points. Starting the final term, the Fitzroy
captain experimented successfully with two
rovers, and with fifteen minutes to go the scores
were level. In the last few minutes other goals
were added, and the seasiders were beaten by 13
points— beaten, but full of honors. St. Kilda
were somewhat handicapped by the inability of
their champion rover Burwiek to take bis pro
per position, as he was still suffering from the
effects of a strain. In the first halt he played
right forward. Starting tho third quarter, he
went on the ball, aud it is not too much to say
that to his wonderful dash aud cleverness in
working bis w;a> through bunches of opponents
was due the brilliant onslaught whicli placed his
side in the lead. In the final quarter he ajram
strained himself, and from then onwards was
practically useless. For Fitzroy the best plav-
ers were Bailee, 0. and W. Nahmiith, Moriarty,
Abbott, G. Baker, Fontaine, Trotter, Smith, Mil-
lis and Milne. The most prominent for EL
Kilda were Barwick, Wells, Bant, MWamara,
Scott, Ellin, J.evcr, Julian, Graveruill. Stew.ut
Smith and Baker (3 goals).
GEfSLONG (9.12) BEAT ESSENDON (5.12).
The Geelong team served up a pleasant surprise
for the public on Saturday,' when it defeated
rather comfortably the Essendon eighteen. The
match was played on the Geelong Oval, and as
it was the last League engagement in Geelong
this season, and the weather was pleasant, a
large crowd of the townspeople turned out to
witness the contest, which everyone considered
would have terminated in an easy victory for
Essendon. The visitors put a good team into the
field, the only absentee who would have made any
difference being Smith. Tlie Geelong eighteen
comprised half a dozen juniors, and the good work
which all of them executed had a very important
bearing upon the match. The colts were quick,
and very much in earnest when they went for the
ball, and when they got it they made good use
of it. They seemed to set the example to their
seniors in "passing," and as a consequence the
Geelong team displayed greater system as a whole
on Saturday than it exhibited in nny previous
match of the season. Some of the Esscn'don fol
lowers thought the fact of Geclong's victory was
attributable to the Essendon players not being
up to their proper standard, but that was not
the case. Geelong played an exceptionally bril
liant game. Men like Ilcnry Young and Eason,
who have played consistently well all through the
season, excelled themselves on Saturday, while
the new blood had quite a refreshing effect upon
the whole team as a combination. With the wind
in the first quarter tho Geelong men got a lead
of 8 points, but they did even better in the suc
ceeding term, and when the players retired for
the half time spell Geelong had a surplus of 32
points. Hie Essendon men marked, ran and
kicked on the average better thun Geelong, but
the latter made up for that deficiency by smart
united action. In the third quarLcr the contest
was fairly even, but when Geelong entered the
last quarter with a lead of' 33 points it lapsed
into an uninteresting struggle, which terminated
in the reduction of the Geelong surplus to 24
points. As they left the field the local players
received quite an ovation. Tlie most prominent
ot the Geelong men were Young, Eason, Roebuck,
A. M'Kenzie, Gough, Gallagher, Fletcher and Ran
kin, and for Essendon the best players were
M'Kenzie, Griffiths, Busbridgc, Sartori, Davies,
J. Fogarty, Cameron and Frascr. M'Namara was
central umpire, and was not too strict.
COLLINGWOOD (15.17) BEAT MELBOURNE (7.9)
Melbourne, although beaten by 50 points on
Saturday, played the best game they have shown
this season, except when they scored their solitary
victory, over South Melbourne. The - leum con
tains a number of clever young players, who only
require to be well coached and drilled, and as iL
is intended to 'engage a competent coach for next
season it is probable that the old club will im
prove its position, which lias this year been most
unsatisfactory, 10 of the 17 matches played hav
ing been lost. On Saturday Melbourne tried Suhr,
from Caulfieid; Slecman, from the University; and
West, from South Melbourne College; and those
juniors had rather a severe trial in making their
first appearance in senior football against such a
powerful team as Collingwood. Melbourne ployed
a quick, clever game in the first quarter, an I
gained 4 points. In the second quarter, huwever,
Collingwood settled down to good systematic
play, and scored 2.7 to 0.2. Condon kicked the
2 goals cleverly; but Rowell, though playing well,
missed several chances. The third quarter was
well contested, Collingwood adding 4.1 and Mel
bourne 3.2, which gave Collingwood a lead of 18
points at the last change of ends. Up to that
stage, although Collingwood had played the more
systematic game, the match had been sufficiently
well contested to be interesting; but in the final
quarter the experience of the visitors beat the
younger Melbourne players, who only added 2.1
to 7.3, and Collingwood therefore won easily by
50 points.
For the winners, the best form was shown ha
Condon, Roweli, Leach, Wright, Drohan, jMa-
nam, Gibb, M'Hale and Wilcher; and for Mel
bourne the most prominent were Bowe, Onyons,
Slccman (who is uot related to tlie University re
cruit of the same name). Purse, Stanway, Coutie,
PeacOck, S. Anderson and Gardiner. Wregg's um
piring was very erratic, and left much to be de
sired. The Melbourne players wore mourning, as
a mark of respect to the memory of lirs. T. F.
Morkhatn, who died last week.
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