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Venue: MCG | Date: Saturday September 1, 1917 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: Loss by 9 points | Umpire: A. Norden | Crowd: 15,005 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: B.Dick 3, V.Valentine 2, J.Shortill 1. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Best: L.Downs, C.Fisher, P.O'Brien, C.Hammond, B.Dick, P.Daykin, C.Canet, R.McGregor. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: Four players were reported - see game review | Injuries: | |||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Despite coming second overall, and having won the most recent battle against the Lions in Round 11, 1917, the Blues were bundled out of the finals race in this Semi Final. Fitzroy would go on to lose to the eventual Premiers, Collingwood, in the Grand Final.Fitzroy got off to a good start in the first quarter, kicking 2 quick goals with the benefit of the wind. Carlton answered through first quarter goals to Shortill, Valentine and Dick. At the first break, the Blues looked good, their accurate kicking had given them a 2 point lead and they had the breeze in the second term.
Fitzroy held Carlton goalless in the second quarter, and had the better of the rest of the match. The Blues were always in with a sniff of victory due to the poor kicking of Fitzroy, but were never able to close the gap and didn't look like stealing the game. Lyle Downs was suspended for 10 games for attempting to kick Fitzroy's Frank Strawbridge, and Strawbridge was outed for 3 games for retaliating.
Mort Kiely was suspended for a scarcely-believable 24 matches for "abusive language towards a steward," whilst Billy Dick copped 3 games for "obscene language towards a steward"! Paddy O'Brien was outed for 2 matches for striking Fitzroy's Charlie Norris. These last three reports were all laid by Steward E Hough. (Stewards had been appointed to all VFL matches to monitor and report on rough play).
Team
| B: | 3 Andy McDonald | 8 Mort Keily | 25 Frank Martin |
| HB: | 9 Ted Brown | 10 Paddy O'Brien | 6 Steve Leehane |
| C: | 12 Charlie Canet | 11 Rod McGregor (vc) | 21 William 'Mickey' Dunn |
| HF: | 7 Charlie Fisher | 23 Joe Shortill | 2 Percy Daykin |
| F: | 1 Billy Dick (c) | 13 Vin Gardiner | 4 Viv Valentine |
| Ruck: | 19 Charlie Hammond | 14 Ern Carter | 28 Lyle Downs |
| Coach: | Norman Clark | ||
Milestones
150 Games: Charlie Hammond50 Games: Steve Leehane
Last Game: Vin Gardiner
Round 15 | 1918