Melbourne
"The seeds of the Melbourne Football Club's greatest ever era began to be sown the following season, in 1952, when favourite son Norm Smith returned from Fitzroy to take over from Alan La Fontaine as senior coach ... and the 1953 season saw the debuts of several players who would go on to play significant roles in the club's impending period of greatness, notably Ron Barassi, Brian Dixon, Ian Ridley, Laurie Mithen and Colin Wilson ..."
Despite their recent lack of success, John Devaney writes that, as the foundation club, their place in the game's history is assured
1976 Season (V/AFL) Fixture | Player Stats
Melbourne's 1976 Fixture
| Rnd | H&A | Club | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | R | Opponent | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | Mgn | Grd | Date | SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-04-03 1 | A | Melbourne | 1.2 | 7.8 | 10.12 | 11.21 | 87 | WON | North Melbourne | 3.6 | 4.6 | 8.7 | 9.10 | 64 | 23 | ARD | 1976-04-03 Apr 3 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-04-10 2 | H | Melbourne | 7.4 | 11.5 | 13.7 | 16.9 | 105 | LOST | Footscray | 6.4 | 14.4 | 19.11 | 23.15 | 153 | -48 | MCG | 1976-04-10 Apr 10 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-04-19 3 | A | Melbourne | 2.1 | 8.4 | 15.8 | 20.13 | 133 | WON | Essendon | 6.4 | 9.4 | 11.5 | 15.8 | 98 | 35 | WIN | 1976-04-19 Apr 19 (Mon, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-04-24 4 | H | Melbourne | 3.2 | 9.5 | 14.8 | 17.12 | 114 | LOST | Carlton | 5.5 | 13.10 | 16.11 | 24.13 | 157 | -43 | MCG | 1976-04-24 Apr 24 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-05-01 5 | A | Melbourne | 2.5 | 10.7 | 14.11 | 17.13 | 115 | WON | Fitzroy | 2.4 | 4.7 | 11.10 | 15.13 | 103 | 12 | JUN | 1976-05-01 May 1 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-05-08 6 | A | Melbourne | 6.4 | 11.5 | 15.7 | 21.10 | 136 | WON | South Melbourne | 3.1 | 6.6 | 14.8 | 16.12 | 108 | 28 | LAK | 1976-05-08 May 8 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-05-15 7 | H | Melbourne | 4.4 | 9.5 | 12.9 | 14.13 | 97 | LOST | Hawthorn | 1.4 | 9.7 | 13.14 | 21.19 | 145 | -48 | MCG | 1976-05-15 May 15 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-05-22 8 | A | Melbourne | 2.2 | 4.6 | 6.11 | 9.15 | 69 | LOST | Richmond | 3.0 | 8.3 | 10.6 | 14.11 | 95 | -26 | MCG | 1976-05-22 May 22 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-05-29 9 | H | Melbourne | 3.3 | 8.10 | 10.15 | 15.19 | 109 | WON | St. Kilda | 2.4 | 3.4 | 4.10 | 7.13 | 55 | 54 | MCG | 1976-05-29 May 29 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-06-05 10 | A | Melbourne | 4.1 | 7.6 | 9.11 | 13.15 | 93 | LOST | Geelong | 6.0 | 8.2 | 13.3 | 19.8 | 122 | -29 | VFL | 1976-06-05 Jun 5 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-06-12 11 | H | Melbourne | 3.2 | 5.4 | 9.12 | 12.16 | 88 | LOST | Collingwood | 6.3 | 9.7 | 10.12 | 12.18 | 90 | -2 | MCG | 1976-06-12 Jun 12 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-06-19 12 | H | Melbourne | 2.6 | 3.9 | 4.12 | 8.13 | 61 | LOST | North Melbourne | 5.4 | 10.7 | 12.12 | 22.14 | 146 | -85 | VFL | 1976-06-19 Jun 19 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-06-26 13 | A | Melbourne | 1.1 | 6.14 | 7.16 | 14.20 | 104 | WON | Footscray | 3.5 | 3.6 | 6.9 | 7.10 | 52 | 52 | WES | 1976-06-26 Jun 26 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-07-03 14 | A | Melbourne | 1.8 | 2.9 | 4.16 | 6.22 | 58 | LOST | Carlton | 4.2 | 9.3 | 13.5 | 18.7 | 115 | -57 | VFL | 1976-07-03 Jul 3 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-07-10 15 | H | Melbourne | 5.4 | 10.8 | 12.11 | 15.14 | 104 | LOST | Essendon | 5.2 | 7.5 | 13.8 | 18.11 | 119 | -15 | MCG | 1976-07-10 Jul 10 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-07-17 16 | H | Melbourne | 5.4 | 11.13 | 15.15 | 21.20 | 146 | WON | Fitzroy | 3.4 | 7.7 | 11.14 | 15.16 | 106 | 40 | MCG | 1976-07-17 Jul 17 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-07-24 17 | H | Melbourne | 3.5 | 8.9 | 11.12 | 11.13 | 79 | LOST | South Melbourne | 4.2 | 7.3 | 10.3 | 14.9 | 93 | -14 | VFL | 1976-07-24 Jul 24 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-07-31 18 | A | Melbourne | 4.5 | 8.6 | 12.11 | 14.11 | 95 | LOST | Hawthorn | 4.3 | 8.7 | 10.11 | 16.17 | 113 | -18 | PRI | 1976-07-31 Jul 31 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-08-07 19 | H | Melbourne | 5.8 | 11.10 | 14.11 | 17.17 | 119 | WON | Richmond | 5.2 | 7.8 | 11.9 | 13.11 | 89 | 30 | MCG | 1976-08-07 Aug 7 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-08-14 20 | A | Melbourne | 3.9 | 7.14 | 15.17 | 18.21 | 129 | WON | St. Kilda | 5.3 | 9.5 | 11.7 | 13.14 | 92 | 37 | MOO | 1976-08-14 Aug 14 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-08-21 21 | H | Melbourne | 8.4 | 14.8 | 20.11 | 22.18 | 150 | WON | Geelong | 1.0 | 8.2 | 12.6 | 16.9 | 105 | 45 | MCG | 1976-08-21 Aug 21 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1976-08-28 22 | A | Melbourne | 4.6 | 7.12 | 15.16 | 18.20 | 128 | WON | Collingwood | 5.3 | 9.9 | 10.10 | 17.11 | 113 | 15 | VIC | 1976-08-28 Aug 28 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |