NON-PREMIERSHIP MATCHES
1971 HEINZ 'BIG RED' NIGHT PREMIERSHIP
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Date |
Teams |
1/4 |
1/2 |
3/4 |
Final |
Margin |
Venue |
Day/Time |
Crowd |
ROUND 1 |
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Sep-02 |
South Melbourne (12) |
2.3 (15) |
3.4 (22) |
8.6 (54) |
10.10 (70) |
21 |
Lake Oval, |
Thu |
10,028 |
Footscray (8) |
3.6 (24) |
7.12 (54) |
8.17 (65) |
11.25 (91) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
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Sep-07 |
Fitzroy (6) |
4.3 (27) |
7.8 (50) |
10.8 (68) |
14.16 (100) |
42 |
Lake Oval, |
Tue |
7,280 |
North Melbourne (9) |
4.1 (25) |
5.3 (33) |
8.6 (54) |
8.10 (58) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
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Sep-09 |
Carlton (5) |
3.2 (20) |
5.4 (34) |
8.12 (60) |
9.15 (69) |
9 |
Lake Oval, |
Thu |
7,328 |
Essendon (11) |
2.0 (12) |
5.3 (33) |
6.5 (41) |
9.6 (60) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
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Sep-14 |
Melbourne (7) |
2.2 (14) |
10.6 (66) |
15.10 (100) |
19.20 (134) |
60 |
Lake Oval, |
Tue |
8,108 |
Geelong (10) |
4.3 (27) |
7.4 (46) |
11.7 (73) |
11.8 (74) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
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SEMI FINALS |
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Sep-16 |
Footscray (8) |
3.3 (21) |
4.5 (29) |
5.9 (39) |
11.12 (78) |
35 |
Lake Oval, |
Thu |
12,124 |
Fitzroy (6) |
4.4 (28) |
7.10 (52) |
11.13 (79) |
16.17 (113) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
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Sep-21 |
Carlton (5) |
3.2 (20) |
6.5 (41) |
8.7 (55) |
11.8 (74) |
26 |
Lake Oval, |
Tue |
11,919 |
Melbourne (7) |
2.3 (15) |
6.8 (44) |
9.11 (65) |
14.16 (100) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
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GRAND FINAL |
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Sep-27 |
Fitzroy (6) |
0.2 (2) |
2.3 (15) |
6.7 (43) |
9.9 (63) |
16 |
Lake Oval, |
Mon |
21,169 |
Melbourne (7) |
3.2 (20) |
5.5 (35) |
11.6 (72) |
12.7 (79) |
South Melbourne |
(8:00pm) |
ABOUT THE 1971 SERIES
*Prizemoney - this was the first year that all prizemoney was provided by the sponsor of the series. From 1964 (the first year of sponsorship) to 1970 the VFL had paid 35% of the winner's cheque and 38% of the runner-up's cheque.
*Leading Goalkicker of the Series - Fitzroy's Paul Shanahan led all-scorers with 9 goals in his 3 matches. *The end of an era - this was the last series played during the first era of the night premiership. Dwindling crowds were the main factor contributing to the series' demise. Since 1966 attendance had dropped every season (other than 1970) and the growing lack of interest from football fans had not gone unnoticed at league headquarters. In 1972 the VFL expanded the final series from four teams to five, leaving just 7 clubs to compete in the night premiership. This was an unworkable number and the night series ended with little fanfare. |
PARTICIPATING TEAMS
5th - Carlton
6th - Fitzroy 7th - Melbourne 8th - Footscray 9th - North Melbourne 10th - Geelong 11th - Essendon 12th - South Melbourne |
SERIES FORMAT
NOTABLE EVENTS
*No coach, no worries - Melbourne’s senior coach Ian Ridley missed their Grand Final victory due to a work-related holiday in Fiji; assistant coach Bernie Massey led the team in Ridley’s absence.
MATCH REPORTS
Match 1 - Thursday, September 2 |
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SOUTH MELBOURNE |
2.3 (15)* |
3.4 (22) |
8.6 (54) |
10.10 (70) |
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FOOTSCRAY |
3.6 (24) |
7.12 (54) |
8.17 (65) |
11.25 (91) |
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BEST PLAYERS: |
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South Melbourne |
Hoffman, Bedford, Ball, Murphy, Doyle, McHenry |
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Footscray |
Bisset, Salmon, Quinlan, Dempsey, Magee, McGowan |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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South Melbourne |
Hoffman 4, McHenry 2, Pavone, Bedford, Doyle,
Prentice |
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Footscray |
Dempsey 3, Quinlan 2, Bishop 2, Dell 2, Salmon 2 |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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South Melbourne |
Robertson replaced Pitura
(selected side) |
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Pavone replaced Robertson (second quarter) |
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Footscray |
(none) |
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UMPIRE: |
Sheen |
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CROWD: |
10,028 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
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SCORE DISCREPANCY: |
South Melbourne's 1/4 time
score in The Football Record = 2.3 (The Age has 2.2) |
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Match 2 - Tuesday, September 7 |
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FITZROY |
4.3 (27) |
7.8 (50) |
10.8 (68) |
14.16 (100) |
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NORTH MELBOURNE |
4.1 (25) |
5.3 (33) |
8.6 (54) |
8.10 (58) |
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BEST PLAYERS: |
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Fitzroy |
Murray, Zunneberg,
Murphy, Molloy, Brown, Wall, Shanahan |
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North Melbourne |
Hodgetts, Redenbach, Doolan, Dench, Feltham |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Fitzroy |
Shanahan 5, Murphy 2, Wilson 2, Irwin, Richards,
Padley, Brown, Crow |
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North Melbourne |
Hodgetts 4, Redenbach, Baker, Muir, Lasslett |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Fitzroy |
Newton replaced Shanahan (last quarter) |
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North Melbourne |
unknown |
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UMPIRE: |
Coates |
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CROWD: |
7,280 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
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NOTES: |
- |
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Match 3 - Thursday, September 9 |
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CARLTON |
3.2 (20) |
5.4 (34) |
8.12 (60) |
9.15 (69) |
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ESSENDON |
2.0 (12) |
5.3 (33) |
6.5 (41) |
9.6 (60) |
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BEST PLAYERS: |
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Carlton |
Jesaulenko, Doull, Southby,
Jones, Quirk, Robertson, O’Connell |
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Essendon |
Fields, Noonan, Schultz, Williams, Smith, Davis,
Cassin, Daniel |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Carlton |
Jones 4, Gallagher, Collins, Barrot, Jesaulenko, Robertson |
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Essendon |
Fields 2, Payne 2, Noonan 2, Moloney, Cassin,
Graco |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Carlton |
unknown |
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Essendon |
unknown |
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UMPIRE: |
Matheson |
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CROWD: |
7,328 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
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NOTES: |
- |
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Match 4 - Tuesday, September 14 |
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MELBOURNE |
2.2 (14) |
10.6 (66) |
15.10 (100) |
19.20 (134) |
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GEELONG |
4.3 (27) |
7.4 (46) |
11.7 (73) |
11.8 (74) |
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BEST PLAYERS: |
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Melbourne |
Osborne, Wells, Davis, Callery, McKenzie, Clark |
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Geelong |
Strahan, Scarlett, Hampshire, Closter, Ryan |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Melbourne |
Osborne 6, Wells 3, Callery 3, Dillon 2,
McKenzie, Alves, Townsend, Tilbrook, Molloy |
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Geelong |
Ryan 2, Strahan 2, Linke 2, Newland, Blake,
Hampshire, Gilmore, Yeates |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Melbourne |
unknown |
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Geelong |
unknown |
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UMPIRE: |
K. Smith |
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CROWD: |
8,108* |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
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CROWD DISCREPANCY: |
The Football Record has a crowd of 8,108, The
Age (15-9-1971) has 8,105 |
Match 5 - Thursday, September 16 |
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FOOTSCRAY |
3.3 (21) |
4.5 (29) |
5.9 (39) |
11.12 (78) |
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FITZROY |
4.4 (28) |
7.10 (52) |
11.13 (79) |
16.17 (113) |
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BEST PLAYERS: |
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Footscray |
Dempsey, Magee, Merrington,
Bisset, Austin |
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Fitzroy |
Wilson, Murphy, Zunneberg,
Padley, Molloy, Murray |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Footscray |
Bishop 3, Sandilands 2, Salmon 2, Austin 2,
Quinlan 2 |
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Fitzroy |
Shanahan 4, Wilson 3, Irwin 3, Murphy, Ruscuklic, Padley, Lloyd, Crow, Wall |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Footscray |
unknown |
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Fitzroy |
unknown |
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UMPIRE: |
Sleeth |
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CROWD: |
12,124 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
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NOTES: |
The match was delayed during the third quarter by
a brawl involving 28 players. |
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Match 6 - Tuesday, September 21 |
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CARLTON |
3.2 (20) |
6.5 (41) |
8.7 (55) |
11.8 (74) |
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MELBOURNE |
2.3 (15) |
6.8 (44) |
9.11 (65) |
14.16 (100) |
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BEST PLAYERS: |
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Carlton |
Keogh, Southby,
Robertson, Barrot, Jones |
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Melbourne |
Wells, Davis, Keenan, Townsend, Clark, Molloy,
Sinclair, Callery, Tilbrook |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Carlton |
Doull 2, Armstrong 2, Robertson 2, Jackson,
Keogh, Gallagher, Jones, McKay |
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Melbourne |
Sinclair 3, Dillon 2, Townsend 2, Wells 2,
Osborne 2, McKenzie, Keenan, Callery |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Carlton |
Walsh replaced Jesaulenko
(half-time) |
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Quirk replaced Hirst (third quarter) |
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Melbourne |
Sinclair replaced Alves (selected side) |
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UMPIRE: |
Jolley |
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CROWD: |
11,919 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
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NOTES: |
- |
FITZROY LIONS |
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COACH |
Graham Donaldson |
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BACKS |
Molloy |
Merrigan |
Lloyd |
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HALF-BACKS |
Zunneberg |
Searl |
Sykes |
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CENTRES |
Sault |
Padley |
Rhodes |
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HALF-FORWARDS |
Wall |
Ruscuklic |
Irwin |
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FORWARDS |
Crow |
Shanahan |
Wilson |
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FOLLOWERS |
Brown |
Murray (C) |
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ROVER |
Murphy |
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RESERVES |
L. Robertson |
Thompson |
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EMERGENCIES |
Richards |
Ellis |
Herrod |
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MELBOURNE |
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COACH |
Bernie Massey* |
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BACKS |
Bourke |
Biffin |
Walker |
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HALF-BACKS |
Sullivan |
Hardeman |
Davis (C) |
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CENTRES |
Alves |
Tilbrook |
Rollinson |
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HALF-FORWARDS |
McKenzie |
Molloy |
Clark |
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FORWARDS |
Osborne |
Dillon |
Townsend |
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FOLLOWERS |
Keenan |
Wells |
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ROVER |
Callery |
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RESERVES |
P. Sinclair |
McSpeerin |
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EMERGENCIES |
Hodges |
Leary |
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*Melbourne’s coach Ian Ridley was
in Fiji on a work-related holiday; |
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assistant coach Bernie Massey led
the team in Ridley’s absence. |
1971 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL
Match 7 - Monday, September 27 |
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FITZROY |
0.2 (2) |
2.3 (15) |
6.7 (43) |
9.9 (63) |
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MELBOURNE |
3.2 (20) |
5.5 (35) |
11.6 (72) |
12.7 (79) |
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BEST PLAYERS: |
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Fitzroy |
Rhodes, Searl, Wilson, Sault, Zunneberg |
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Melbourne |
Townsend, Callery, Wells, Keenan, Bourke, Molloy |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Fitzroy |
Wilson 2, Murphy, Irwin, Sault, Ruscuklic, Thompson, Brown, Wall |
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Melbourne |
Dillon 3, Townsend 3, Callery 2, McKenzie, Wells,
Alves, Molloy |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Fitzroy |
unknown |
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Melbourne |
unknown |
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UMPIRE: |
Deller |
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CROWD: |
21,169 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football Record |
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NOTES: |
This was Melbourne's third-straight night series
Grand Final and first night title. |
Written and researched by David Eastman
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First published 15/2/2017
Last updated 2/5/2022 |