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
1996 Season (AFL) Fixture | Player Stats
Melbourne's 1996 Fixture
| Rnd | H&A | Club | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | R | Opponent | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | Mgn | Grd | Date | SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-03-29 1 | H | Melbourne | 2.2 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 8.8 | 56 | LOST | Geelong | 4.6 | 11.9 | 17.18 | 27.21 | 183 | -127 | MCG | 1996-03-29 Mar 29 (Fri, 8:10) | Scores |
| 1996-04-08 2 | A | Melbourne | 2.2 | 5.4 | 6.13 | 11.13 | 79 | LOST | Collingwood | 5.3 | 13.8 | 17.11 | 27.11 | 173 | -94 | MCG | 1996-04-08 Apr 8 (Mon, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-04-14 3 | H | Melbourne | 3.4 | 5.7 | 11.10 | 14.14 | 98 | WON | St. Kilda | 3.4 | 6.8 | 9.8 | 13.10 | 88 | 10 | PRI | 1996-04-14 Apr 14 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-04-20 4 | A | Melbourne | 3.2 | 6.3 | 10.8 | 12.14 | 86 | LOST | Carlton | 6.3 | 15.5 | 17.6 | 21.7 | 133 | -47 | PRI | 1996-04-20 Apr 20 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-04-26 5 | A | Melbourne | 4.2 | 6.5 | 7.9 | 8.11 | 59 | LOST | Fremantle | 2.3 | 5.9 | 7.12 | 13.18 | 96 | -37 | WAC | 1996-04-26 Apr 26 (Fri, 8:40) | Scores |
| 1996-05-04 6 | H | Melbourne | 3.1 | 4.4 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 50 | LOST | West Coast | 5.6 | 9.9 | 14.10 | 24.12 | 156 | -106 | PRI | 1996-05-04 May 4 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-05-11 7 | H | Melbourne | 1.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 5.8 | 38 | LOST | Sydney | 3.2 | 5.4 | 10.8 | 12.10 | 82 | -44 | MCG | 1996-05-11 May 11 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-05-18 8 | A | Melbourne | 2.2 | 3.4 | 6.7 | 10.11 | 71 | LOST | Hawthorn | 6.2 | 11.4 | 14.7 | 19.8 | 122 | -51 | WAV | 1996-05-18 May 18 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-05-25 9 | A | Melbourne | 3.1 | 5.2 | 10.3 | 12.5 | 77 | LOST | Essendon | 2.8 | 4.12 | 8.18 | 11.23 | 89 | -12 | MCG | 1996-05-25 May 25 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-06-10 10 | H | Melbourne | 4.5 | 8.9 | 14.11 | 17.12 | 114 | WON | Collingwood | 3.5 | 3.6 | 5.12 | 10.16 | 76 | 38 | MCG | 1996-06-10 Jun 10 (Mon, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-06-16 11 | A | Melbourne | 3.1 | 8.4 | 13.9 | 18.11 | 119 | WON | Fitzroy | 3.1 | 5.4 | 6.5 | 8.8 | 56 | 63 | WHI | 1996-06-16 Jun 16 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-06-22 12 | A | Melbourne | 3.0 | 4.2 | 5.6 | 6.10 | 46 | LOST | Brisbane | 4.5 | 8.8 | 15.10 | 18.15 | 123 | -77 | GAB | 1996-06-22 Jun 22 (Sat, 7:40) | Scores |
| 1996-06-30 13 | A | Melbourne | 2.1 | 5.3 | 10.6 | 19.9 | 123 | WON | Adelaide | 3.3 | 6.5 | 8.7 | 10.12 | 72 | 51 | FBP | 1996-06-30 Jun 30 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-07-07 14 | H | Melbourne | 2.4 | 6.6 | 12.8 | 14.10 | 94 | WON | Footscray | 3.1 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 10.7 | 67 | 27 | MCG | 1996-07-07 Jul 7 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-07-14 15 | H | Melbourne | 2.1 | 7.4 | 9.7 | 12.9 | 81 | LOST | Richmond | 4.3 | 8.10 | 11.15 | 18.19 | 127 | -46 | MCG | 1996-07-14 Jul 14 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-07-20 16 | A | Melbourne | 2.2 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 30 | LOST | Geelong | 3.2 | 7.7 | 9.7 | 13.10 | 88 | -58 | KAR | 1996-07-20 Jul 20 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-07-26 17 | H | Melbourne | 4.2 | 6.3 | 7.3 | 11.4 | 70 | LOST | North Melbourne | 7.3 | 13.9 | 20.12 | 28.15 | 183 | -113 | MCG | 1996-07-26 Jul 26 (Fri, 8:10) | Scores |
| 1996-08-04 18 | A | Melbourne | 0.4 | 4.8 | 5.14 | 6.16 | 52 | LOST | Sydney | 4.1 | 6.6 | 11.9 | 17.13 | 115 | -63 | SCG | 1996-08-04 Aug 4 (Sun, 1:10) | Scores |
| 1996-08-10 19 | H | Melbourne | 4.2 | 12.6 | 17.8 | 20.9 | 129 | WON | Carlton | 3.2 | 6.4 | 9.7 | 17.8 | 110 | 19 | MCG | 1996-08-10 Aug 10 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-08-16 20 | H | Melbourne | 4.5 | 6.7 | 11.9 | 13.14 | 92 | WON | Fremantle | 1.3 | 5.3 | 9.8 | 10.11 | 71 | 21 | MCG | 1996-08-16 Aug 16 (Fri, 8:10) | Scores |
| 1996-08-25 21 | A | Melbourne | 1.2 | 7.6 | 7.11 | 11.12 | 78 | LOST | West Coast | 7.1 | 10.4 | 17.6 | 24.7 | 151 | -73 | SUB | 1996-08-25 Aug 25 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1996-08-31 22 | H | Melbourne | 5.4 | 7.5 | 12.8 | 15.11 | 101 | LOST | Hawthorn | 3.5 | 10.6 | 12.10 | 15.12 | 102 | -1 | MCG | 1996-08-31 Aug 31 (Sat, 7:40) | Scores |