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
1961 Season (V/AFL) Fixture | Player Stats
Melbourne's 1961 Fixture
| Rnd | H&A | Club | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | R | Opponent | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | Mgn | Grd | Date | SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-04-15 1 | A | Melbourne | 4.6 | 5.8 | 10.14 | 10.15 | 75 | WON | Fitzroy | 1.1 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 6.10 | 46 | 29 | BWS | 1961-04-15 Apr 15 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-04-22 2 | H | Melbourne | 2.5 | 3.10 | 4.13 | 5.14 | 44 | LOST | Hawthorn | 3.1 | 4.5 | 8.8 | 11.10 | 76 | -32 | MCG | 1961-04-22 Apr 22 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-04-25 3 | A | Melbourne | 3.4 | 5.6 | 8.11 | 11.16 | 82 | WON | Essendon | 3.1 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 8.9 | 57 | 25 | WIN | 1961-04-25 Apr 25 (Tue, 2:20) | Scores |
| 1961-05-06 4 | H | Melbourne | 2.2 | 4.3 | 8.7 | 12.9 | 81 | LOST | St. Kilda | 2.2 | 4.8 | 10.8 | 12.12 | 84 | -3 | MCG | 1961-05-06 May 6 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-05-13 5 | A | Melbourne | 1.4 | 1.7 | 10.12 | 17.18 | 120 | WON | Geelong | 0.2 | 1.9 | 4.10 | 7.13 | 55 | 65 | KAR | 1961-05-13 May 13 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-05-27 6 | A | Melbourne | 6.2 | 6.6 | 10.8 | 13.9 | 87 | WON | Footscray | 1.2 | 4.5 | 5.6 | 9.8 | 62 | 25 | WES | 1961-05-27 May 27 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-03 7 | H | Melbourne | 3.2 | 8.7 | 12.9 | 15.14 | 104 | WON | Carlton | 2.2 | 6.8 | 10.11 | 11.13 | 79 | 25 | MCG | 1961-06-03 Jun 3 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-12 8 | H | Melbourne | 4.8 | 8.13 | 14.14 | 17.19 | 121 | WON | Collingwood | 0.1 | 3.6 | 3.10 | 7.10 | 52 | 69 | MCG | 1961-06-12 Jun 12 (Mon, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-17 9 | A | Melbourne | 3.3 | 5.5 | 8.13 | 14.14 | 98 | WON | South Melbourne | 1.2 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 8.14 | 62 | 36 | LAK | 1961-06-17 Jun 17 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-24 10 | A | Melbourne | 4.2 | 9.5 | 11.6 | 14.9 | 93 | WON | North Melbourne | 1.3 | 2.8 | 3.10 | 5.14 | 44 | 49 | ARD | 1961-06-24 Jun 24 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-01 11 | H | Melbourne | 5.5 | 8.9 | 14.16 | 17.18 | 120 | WON | Richmond | 2.5 | 2.9 | 4.11 | 7.12 | 54 | 66 | MCG | 1961-07-01 Jul 1 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-08 12 | H | Melbourne | 1.0 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 44 | DRAW | Fitzroy | 0.1 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 44 | 0 | MCG | 1961-07-08 Jul 8 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-15 13 | A | Melbourne | 0.1 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 5.10 | 40 | LOST | Hawthorn | 3.2 | 5.5 | 7.6 | 8.10 | 58 | -18 | GLE | 1961-07-15 Jul 15 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-29 14 | H | Melbourne | 4.3 | 6.8 | 8.14 | 10.18 | 78 | LOST | Essendon | 6.1 | 9.5 | 12.8 | 13.9 | 87 | -9 | MCG | 1961-07-29 Jul 29 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-05 15 | A | Melbourne | 1.4 | 3.11 | 5.12 | 7.13 | 55 | LOST | St. Kilda | 4.3 | 5.5 | 8.9 | 9.12 | 66 | -11 | JUN | 1961-08-05 Aug 5 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-12 16 | H | Melbourne | 2.4 | 5.8 | 9.14 | 12.17 | 89 | WON | Geelong | 2.4 | 7.7 | 9.12 | 12.15 | 87 | 2 | MCG | 1961-08-12 Aug 12 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-19 17 | H | Melbourne | 2.2 | 5.9 | 8.15 | 11.22 | 88 | WON | Footscray | 2.2 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 7.6 | 48 | 40 | MCG | 1961-08-19 Aug 19 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-26 18 | A | Melbourne | 2.4 | 8.8 | 9.9 | 13.13 | 91 | WON | Carlton | 4.1 | 7.4 | 12.11 | 13.12 | 90 | 1 | PRI | 1961-08-26 Aug 26 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1961-09-09 2SF | A | Melbourne | 5.2 | 7.4 | 9.5 | 11.7 | 73 | LOST | Hawthorn | 2.1 | 6.4 | 9.8 | 12.8 | 80 | -7 | MCG | 1961-09-09 Sep 9 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
| 1961-09-16 PF | A | Melbourne | 0.2 | 2.5 | 4.6 | 8.10 | 58 | LOST | Footscray | 4.3 | 5.4 | 11.6 | 13.7 | 85 | -27 | MCG | 1961-09-16 Sep 16 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |