Round 1, 1899
Melbourne vs St. Kilda
Saturday 13 May
Venue: MCG
Attendance: Unknown
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| Melbourne | 1.1 | 9.9 | 12.13 | 16.20.116 |
| St. Kilda | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 3.5.23 |
Melbourne win by 93 points
Goalkickers: Tommy Ryan 5, Jack Leith 3, George Moysey 3, Dick Wardill 2, Fred Elliott 1, George Moodie 1, Charlie Young 1
Milestones:
First Game
Fred Elliott
Charlie Illingworth
Tommy Ryan
Arthur Sowden
First MFC Game
Dan Moriarty
First Goal
Fred Elliott
Tommy Ryan
After two seasons without a single win, St Kilda entered the first round confident that they had finally put together a combination worthy of the VFL. They kicked the first goal, before Melbourne equalised immediately from the restart. Nevertheless, St Kilda held a nine point lead at quarter time. They might have been in front by even more, but debutante Illingworth took a saving mark in the dying seconds.
The traditionally hapless visitors looked like they'd turned the corner, but after quarter time they were routed. Moodie snapped the first goal of the second term shortly after the restart and Moysey added another shortly after. It wasn't all good news for Moysey, at one stage he was felled by a Cumberland kick that caught him in the face.
After St. Kilda's best defender was forced out of the backline by a leg injury Melbourne took the opportunity to run riot. They finished the second term with eight goals to no score. In the first game under a new 18-a-side rule, the Reds used the extra space to perfection, rattling on another seven goals to one in the second half.
The highlight of the day was provided by Dick Wardill who goalled after running at the last St Kilda defender then casually stepping around him to finish.
Best were Lewis, Moysey and McGinis.
Media
Herald - 13/05/1899
Argus - 15/05/1899
Sportsman - 16/05/1899