North Melbourne
"With former playing hero Allen Aylett now spearheading the club's administration as a radical and forward thinking president, in 1971 North Melbourne audaciously announced a 'Five Year Plan' to secure a VFL premiership ... Every aspect of the club's operation came under intense analysis with a view to trimming the fat and maximising efficiency. Nevertheless, it is doubtful if such measures alone would have been sufficient to propel the team which won just one game in 1972 (earning an inevitable wooden spoon) to a remarkable four consecutive grand finals for two flags between 1974 and 1977..."
John Devaney explains how a rule change helped the Kangaroos break through to win their first flag
1961 Season (V/AFL) Fixture | Player Stats
North 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 | H | North Melbourne | 1.2 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 8.10 | 58 | WON | Essendon | 3.5 | 4.6 | 6.11 | 6.13 | 49 | 9 | ARD | 1961-04-15 Apr 15 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-04-22 2 | A | North Melbourne | 4.2 | 4.2 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 52 | LOST | Footscray | 1.4 | 5.13 | 6.15 | 13.19 | 97 | -45 | WES | 1961-04-22 Apr 22 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-04-29 3 | A | North Melbourne | 2.5 | 5.6 | 8.6 | 9.8 | 62 | LOST | Collingwood | 4.2 | 5.7 | 10.14 | 12.16 | 88 | -26 | VIC | 1961-04-29 Apr 29 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-05-06 4 | H | North Melbourne | 2.1 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 8.7 | 55 | LOST | Hawthorn | 3.3 | 4.5 | 9.12 | 12.13 | 85 | -30 | ARD | 1961-05-06 May 6 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-05-13 5 | H | North Melbourne | 0.6 | 8.10 | 10.15 | 11.17 | 83 | LOST | Carlton | 4.1 | 8.1 | 13.4 | 17.7 | 109 | -26 | ARD | 1961-05-13 May 13 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-05-20 6 | A | North Melbourne | 4.3 | 5.6 | 9.11 | 11.13 | 79 | LOST | Fitzroy | 3.2 | 11.5 | 11.10 | 14.13 | 97 | -18 | BWS | 1961-05-20 May 20 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-03 7 | H | North Melbourne | 3.3 | 6.8 | 7.12 | 9.14 | 68 | LOST | St. Kilda | 3.5 | 5.6 | 8.13 | 11.16 | 82 | -14 | ARD | 1961-06-03 Jun 3 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-10 8 | H | North Melbourne | 4.0 | 6.8 | 9.12 | 11.13 | 79 | DRAW | Geelong | 2.3 | 5.5 | 5.10 | 11.13 | 79 | 0 | ARD | 1961-06-10 Jun 10 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-17 9 | A | North Melbourne | 5.4 | 7.7 | 9.13 | 10.16 | 76 | LOST | Richmond | 3.2 | 7.5 | 9.6 | 12.10 | 82 | -6 | PUN | 1961-06-17 Jun 17 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-06-24 10 | H | North Melbourne | 1.3 | 2.8 | 3.10 | 5.14 | 44 | LOST | Melbourne | 4.2 | 9.5 | 11.6 | 14.9 | 93 | -49 | ARD | 1961-06-24 Jun 24 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-01 11 | A | North Melbourne | 1.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 7.8 | 50 | LOST | South Melbourne | 5.6 | 5.6 | 7.12 | 9.14 | 68 | -18 | LAK | 1961-07-01 Jul 1 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-08 12 | A | North Melbourne | 0.0 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 3.10 | 28 | LOST | Essendon | 1.3 | 2.3 | 6.8 | 9.9 | 63 | -35 | WIN | 1961-07-08 Jul 8 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-15 13 | H | North Melbourne | 4.7 | 6.9 | 9.14 | 10.15 | 75 | WON | Footscray | 1.2 | 6.2 | 9.2 | 11.6 | 72 | 3 | ARD | 1961-07-15 Jul 15 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-07-29 14 | H | North Melbourne | 4.3 | 7.6 | 8.9 | 9.13 | 67 | WON | Collingwood | 3.1 | 5.3 | 6.6 | 9.10 | 64 | 3 | ARD | 1961-07-29 Jul 29 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-05 15 | A | North Melbourne | 0.2 | 5.5 | 5.10 | 6.11 | 47 | LOST | Hawthorn | 5.1 | 7.2 | 9.3 | 15.10 | 100 | -53 | GLE | 1961-08-05 Aug 5 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-12 16 | A | North Melbourne | 3.5 | 6.6 | 8.7 | 10.8 | 68 | LOST | Carlton | 3.4 | 3.6 | 5.14 | 9.16 | 70 | -2 | PRI | 1961-08-12 Aug 12 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-19 17 | H | North Melbourne | 4.2 | 8.5 | 10.11 | 10.15 | 75 | WON | Fitzroy | 0.3 | 2.5 | 4.12 | 8.15 | 63 | 12 | ARD | 1961-08-19 Aug 19 (Sat, 2:15) | Scores |
| 1961-08-26 18 | A | North Melbourne | 2.4 | 5.5 | 8.11 | 9.13 | 67 | LOST | St. Kilda | 2.3 | 5.8 | 6.10 | 10.12 | 72 | -5 | JUN | 1961-08-26 Aug 26 (Sat, 2:30) | Scores |
1961 Player Stats
| # | Player | GP | K | Avg | H | Avg | D | Avg | M | Avg | HO | Avg | T | Avg | FF | FA | G | Avg | B | TS |
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