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
1944 Season (V/AFL) Fixture | Player Stats
Melbourne's 1944 Fixture
| Rnd | H&A | Club | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | R | Opponent | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | Mgn | Grd | Date | SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944-05-06 1 | H | Melbourne | 0.3 | 6.5 | 9.6 | 14.8 | 92 | LOST | Richmond | 3.8 | 10.9 | 13.12 | 19.18 | 132 | -40 | PUN | 1944-05-06 May 6 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-05-13 2 | A | Melbourne | 4.0 | 10.4 | 13.4 | 16.4 | 100 | LOST | Essendon | 3.3 | 8.4 | 13.11 | 17.18 | 120 | -20 | WIN | 1944-05-13 May 13 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-05-20 3 | H | Melbourne | 2.0 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 12.5 | 77 | LOST | Carlton | 4.3 | 4.4 | 9.7 | 14.8 | 92 | -15 | PUN | 1944-05-20 May 20 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-05-27 4 | A | Melbourne | 8.4 | 13.7 | 15.9 | 22.10 | 142 | WON | Geelong | 3.2 | 5.4 | 7.7 | 10.9 | 69 | 73 | KAR | 1944-05-27 May 27 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-06-03 5 | H | Melbourne | 0.3 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 10.13 | 73 | LOST | St. Kilda | 3.4 | 4.5 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 86 | -13 | PUN | 1944-06-03 Jun 3 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-06-10 6 | A | Melbourne | 4.4 | 6.4 | 10.5 | 15.9 | 99 | WON | Collingwood | 1.2 | 6.6 | 9.8 | 10.9 | 69 | 30 | VIC | 1944-06-10 Jun 10 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-06-17 7 | A | Melbourne | 2.4 | 4.5 | 8.9 | 12.10 | 82 | LOST | North Melbourne | 3.5 | 6.12 | 8.17 | 15.20 | 110 | -28 | ARD | 1944-06-17 Jun 17 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-06-24 8 | H | Melbourne | 1.4 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 7.10 | 52 | LOST | Fitzroy | 4.1 | 6.3 | 8.10 | 10.17 | 77 | -25 | PUN | 1944-06-24 Jun 24 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-07-01 9 | A | Melbourne | 3.3 | 4.6 | 7.8 | 8.13 | 61 | LOST | Footscray | 3.6 | 5.9 | 6.13 | 8.15 | 63 | -2 | WES | 1944-07-01 Jul 1 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-07-08 10 | H | Melbourne | 3.3 | 6.5 | 9.8 | 10.10 | 70 | WON | South Melbourne | 3.2 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 9.13 | 67 | 3 | PUN | 1944-07-08 Jul 8 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-07-15 11 | A | Melbourne | 6.10 | 9.14 | 18.21 | 22.25 | 157 | WON | Hawthorn | 3.3 | 6.5 | 6.7 | 7.10 | 52 | 105 | GLE | 1944-07-15 Jul 15 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-07-22 12 | A | Melbourne | 2.2 | 5.8 | 6.10 | 9.15 | 69 | LOST | Richmond | 6.3 | 6.4 | 16.6 | 17.8 | 110 | -41 | PUN | 1944-07-22 Jul 22 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-07-29 13 | H | Melbourne | 3.3 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 11.12 | 78 | LOST | Essendon | 3.7 | 6.7 | 13.11 | 14.14 | 98 | -20 | PUN | 1944-07-29 Jul 29 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1944-08-05 14 | A | Melbourne | 1.2 | 4.2 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 54 | WON | Carlton | 1.0 | 3.8 | 3.12 | 4.14 | 38 | 16 | PRI | 1944-08-05 Aug 5 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-08-12 15 | H | Melbourne | 1.6 | 4.9 | 4.15 | 8.21 | 69 | WON | Geelong | 1.1 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 8.8 | 56 | 13 | PUN | 1944-08-12 Aug 12 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-08-19 16 | A | Melbourne | 1.0 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 7.10 | 52 | LOST | St. Kilda | 4.5 | 9.6 | 13.10 | 13.13 | 91 | -39 | JUN | 1944-08-19 Aug 19 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-08-26 17 | H | Melbourne | 2.3 | 5.6 | 8.14 | 11.17 | 83 | LOST | Collingwood | 5.1 | 10.5 | 10.7 | 15.12 | 102 | -19 | PUN | 1944-08-26 Aug 26 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |
| 1944-09-02 18 | H | Melbourne | 4.11 | 10.16 | 11.26 | 14.27 | 111 | WON | Hawthorn | 1.3 | 1.7 | 3.11 | 6.13 | 49 | 62 | PUN | 1944-09-02 Sep 2 (Sat, 2:45) | Scores |