The grand final received extensive coverage in the local press, and some newspapers featured action
photographs from the game. Writing in the Chadstone Progress, Polson opened his account of the
match by claiming that: ‘Mentone won a rough ’n’ tumble Federal League grand final by the small
margin of six points over a very unlucky Cheltenham in a day of sensations at Springvale’.27 Noting
that eleven players had been reported (with two players taken to hospital), 
he related how the day had
started badly for Mentone, with Peter Bromley injuring himself coming down the race. Brett Marchant
took his place in the starting eighteen, while coach David Groves sat on the bench. The game was played in windy conditions in front of a large crowd, and Polson observed that umpire Don Casey had his hands full as Jeff Hopgood downed Peter Charles from Cheltenham and ‘skirmishes’ broke out all over the field. Mentone led by nine points at half time, but late in the third quarter Ray Besanko was
knocked out behind play. This changed the momentum of the game, and after two quick goals from Ian Cooper, Cheltenham grabbed the lead early in the last quarter. However, Polson praised the Tigers, claiming that: ‘Full marks must go to Mentone’s coach David Groves. His players lifted themselves to fight back to hit the front and hold on by six points’. He also concluded his report by pointing out that: ‘Under Groves’ coaching Mentone have come from a side that had very little skill last season to become a first class team with many great players and deserved to win the flag’.28
