M.C.G. · Sat 1 Aug 1981 · 13,886 in attendance
| Team | QT | HT | 3QT | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MelbourneMELB | 3.2 | 7.5 | 9.11 | 86 |
| SydneySYD | 2.1 | 7.8 | 11.11 | 115 |
Quarter figures cumulative · goals.behinds. Final = 86 and 115.
Sydney won by 29 points.
12.14 (86) — 17.13 (115)
Full listed players, ordered by disposals then goals.
| Player | K | H | D | M | T | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul OBrien | 17 | 5 | 22 | 5 | — | 0 |
| Gerard Healy | 12 | 8 | 20 | 5 | — | 3 |
| Michael Seddon | 13 | 6 | 19 | 1 |
| — |
| 0 |
| Trevor Korn | 14 | 4 | 18 | 4 | — | 0 |
| Graham Gaunt | 10 | 7 | 17 | 2 | — | 0 |
| Robert Flower | 9 | 8 | 17 | 4 | — | 0 |
| Tony Elshaug | 9 | 7 | 16 | 2 | — | 0 |
| Greg Hutchison | 14 | 2 | 16 | 3 | — | 0 |
| Laurie Fowler | 8 | 7 | 15 | 2 | — | 0 |
| Brent Crosswell | 12 | 2 | 14 | 5 | — | 3 |
| Andrew Moir | 11 | 3 | 14 | 3 | — | 1 |
| Steven Smith | 8 | 5 | 13 | 5 | — | 0 |
| Gary Hardeman | 7 | 6 | 13 | 3 | — | 0 |
| Peter Keenan | 10 | 1 | 11 | 5 | — | 0 |
| Des ODwyer | 6 | 4 | 10 | 5 | — | 0 |
| Mark Jackson | 9 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | 4 |
| Bill Nettlefold | 5 | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | 1 |
| Ian Todd | 6 | 2 | 8 | 3 | — | 0 |
| Kelly ODonnell | 5 | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | 0 |
| Peter Maynard | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | 0 |
Healy 3, Crosswell 3, Moir 1, Jackson 4, Nettlefold 1
| Player | K | H | D | M | T | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Morwood | 21 | 4 | 25 | 5 | — | 0 |
| Mark Browning | 15 | 8 | 23 | 3 | — | 1 |
| Stephen Wright | 16 | 7 | 23 | 4 | — | 0 |
| Barry Round | 8 | 14 | 22 | 12 | — | 1 |
| Greg Smith | 19 | 2 | 21 | 1 | — | 0 |
| Colin Hounsell | 15 | 5 | 20 | 2 | — | 1 |
| Bernie Evans | 15 | 5 | 20 | 4 | — | 1 |
| Dennis Carroll | 11 | 4 | 15 | 5 | — | 0 |
| Rod Carter | 11 | 3 | 14 | 4 | — | 0 |
| David Ackerly | 6 | 8 | 14 | 2 | — | 0 |
| Tony Morwood | 10 | 3 | 13 | 1 | — | 3 |
| Graham Teasdale | 10 | 2 | 12 | 7 | — | 5 |
| David Rhys-Jones | 9 | 2 | 11 | 3 | — | 0 |
| Silvio Foschini | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | — | 1 |
| John Roberts | 7 | 0 | 7 | 4 | — | 2 |
| Anthony Daniher | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | 0 |
| Shane Morwood | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 0 |
| Francis Jackson | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | — | 0 |
| Wayne Carroll | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 |
| David Winbanks | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 |