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
1997 Season (AFL) Fixture | Player Stats
Melbourne's 1997 Fixture
| Rnd | H&A | Club | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | R | Opponent | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | S | Mgn | Grd | Date | SC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-03-27 1 | A | Melbourne | 2.2 | 4.5 | 8.9 | 10.10 | 70 | WON | North Melbourne | 2.1 | 3.4 | 4.7 | 7.13 | 55 | 15 | MCG | 1997-03-27 Mar 27 (Thu, 7:40) | Scores |
| 1997-04-04 2 | H | Melbourne | 3.5 | 4.7 | 6.11 | 7.14 | 56 | LOST | Collingwood | 6.1 | 12.6 | 15.12 | 24.19 | 163 | -107 | MCG | 1997-04-04 Apr 4 (Fri, 7:40) | Scores |
| 1997-04-11 3 | A | Melbourne | 2.4 | 7.4 | 13.5 | 14.7 | 91 | LOST | Sydney | 6.3 | 11.4 | 13.6 | 15.9 | 99 | -8 | SCG | 1997-04-11 Apr 11 (Fri, 7:40) | Scores |
| 1997-04-18 4 | H | Melbourne | 3.3 | 8.6 | 10.8 | 13.9 | 87 | LOST | Western Bulldogs | 2.2 | 5.6 | 9.8 | 13.11 | 89 | -2 | MCG | 1997-04-18 Apr 18 (Fri, 7:40) | Scores |
| 1997-04-26 5 | H | Melbourne | 5.1 | 6.2 | 7.4 | 12.6 | 78 | LOST | West Coast | 4.1 | 10.4 | 18.7 | 19.12 | 126 | -48 | MCG | 1997-04-26 Apr 26 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-05-04 6 | A | Melbourne | 0.3 | 2.7 | 4.9 | 4.11 | 35 | LOST | St. Kilda | 6.5 | 9.8 | 14.12 | 17.19 | 121 | -86 | WAV | 1997-05-04 May 4 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-05-10 7 | A | Melbourne | 1.4 | 5.6 | 7.8 | 10.9 | 69 | LOST | Fremantle | 4.8 | 7.9 | 14.16 | 17.22 | 124 | -55 | WAC | 1997-05-10 May 10 (Sat, 8:40) | Scores |
| 1997-05-17 8 | H | Melbourne | 2.2 | 5.3 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 49 | LOST | Geelong | 5.2 | 7.5 | 11.8 | 19.14 | 128 | -79 | MCG | 1997-05-17 May 17 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-05-23 9 | A | Melbourne | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 3.9 | 27 | LOST | Port Adelaide | 4.1 | 5.6 | 7.13 | 10.18 | 78 | -51 | FBP | 1997-05-23 May 23 (Fri, 8:40) | Scores |
| 1997-05-31 10 | A | Melbourne | 4.2 | 6.2 | 11.6 | 14.8 | 92 | WON | Richmond | 3.5 | 7.11 | 9.11 | 9.13 | 67 | 25 | MCG | 1997-05-31 May 31 (Sat, 7:40) | Scores |
| 1997-06-08 11 | H | Melbourne | 1.1 | 2.8 | 4.9 | 5.15 | 45 | LOST | Adelaide | 6.4 | 8.6 | 11.11 | 14.13 | 97 | -52 | MCG | 1997-06-08 Jun 8 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-06-15 12 | H | Melbourne | 1.2 | 4.4 | 6.5 | 7.8 | 50 | LOST | Brisbane | 5.1 | 10.4 | 17.8 | 21.9 | 135 | -85 | MCG | 1997-06-15 Jun 15 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-06-29 13 | A | Melbourne | 3.5 | 4.9 | 6.11 | 7.13 | 55 | LOST | Hawthorn | 3.1 | 7.6 | 12.11 | 17.16 | 118 | -63 | WAV | 1997-06-29 Jun 29 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-07-06 14 | A | Melbourne | 2.3 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 8.9 | 57 | LOST | Essendon | 4.5 | 8.7 | 13.11 | 18.12 | 120 | -63 | MCG | 1997-07-06 Jul 6 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-07-12 15 | H | Melbourne | 4.3 | 10.7 | 16.8 | 18.11 | 119 | WON | Carlton | 5.0 | 10.3 | 13.5 | 15.10 | 100 | 19 | MCG | 1997-07-12 Jul 12 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-07-20 16 | H | Melbourne | 1.5 | 2.9 | 4.15 | 7.16 | 58 | LOST | North Melbourne | 3.5 | 8.7 | 12.10 | 17.12 | 114 | -56 | MCG | 1997-07-20 Jul 20 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-07-27 17 | A | Melbourne | 5.3 | 9.6 | 10.8 | 12.10 | 82 | LOST | Collingwood | 3.3 | 4.6 | 13.10 | 20.14 | 134 | -52 | MCG | 1997-07-27 Jul 27 (Sun, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-08-02 18 | H | Melbourne | 1.2 | 4.5 | 6.7 | 7.11 | 53 | LOST | Sydney | 10.5 | 14.11 | 21.16 | 25.19 | 169 | -116 | MCG | 1997-08-02 Aug 2 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-08-09 19 | A | Melbourne | 1.3 | 3.5 | 8.6 | 9.10 | 64 | LOST | Western Bulldogs | 4.5 | 6.10 | 9.15 | 14.18 | 102 | -38 | PRI | 1997-08-09 Aug 9 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |
| 1997-08-15 20 | A | Melbourne | 0.3 | 1.8 | 3.14 | 7.17 | 59 | LOST | West Coast | 6.1 | 9.3 | 12.4 | 15.7 | 97 | -38 | WAC | 1997-08-15 Aug 15 (Fri, 8:40) | Scores |
| 1997-08-22 21 | H | Melbourne | 1.2 | 3.5 | 6.8 | 8.14 | 62 | LOST | St. Kilda | 7.1 | 9.6 | 13.8 | 17.12 | 114 | -52 | MCG | 1997-08-22 Aug 22 (Fri, 7:40) | Scores |
| 1997-08-30 22 | H | Melbourne | 1.4 | 5.8 | 12.9 | 18.11 | 119 | WON | Fremantle | 3.4 | 4.5 | 6.9 | 11.13 | 79 | 40 | MCG | 1997-08-30 Aug 30 (Sat, 2:10) | Scores |