The Football Record: Special editions for the 1948 1st Semi-Final (Collingwood v Footscray), the [Prelim] Final (Melbourne v Collingwood) page 17/18 torn, the Grand Final (Essendon v Melbourne) and the Grand Final Replay (Essendon v Melbourne. (Total: 4). Mixed condition. The Grand Final between Melbourne and Essendon, held at the MCG on 2 October 1948, was a drawn match: Melbourne 10.9 (69) to Essendon 7.27 (69). The crowd was 85,815. Melbourne 13.11 (89) defeated Essendon 7.8 (50), in the Grand Final Replay that was held at the MCG on 9 October 1948, in front of 52,226 people.