# 2016 Melbourne Football Club season

The 2016 Melbourne Football Club season was the club's 117th year in the VFL/AFL since it began in 1897. In Paul Roos' final season as senior coach before succession coach, Simon Goodwin took over, the club won ten matches out of twenty-two to finish eleventh on the ladder out of eighteen teams and finished on 97.6 percent. It was the club's best season on the field since the 2011 season in which the club finished with eight wins, thirteen losses and a draw, to finish with a percentage of 85.3.

## Senior personnel

Nathan Jones was retained as captain for the third consecutive season. The leadership group was overhauled where none of the leaders, aside from Jones, were retained in the group from 2015 and the club elected to have no vice-captain. The leadership group included Colin Garland, Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince, and Jack Viney.
Due to Paul Roos entering his final year as senior coach, there was a reshuffle in coaching, whereby Roos' role shifted towards a focus on culture, so the transition to coach-in-waiting, Simon Goodwin, was as smooth as possible for 2017. Goodwin increased his responsibilities for the 2016 season, including being the senior coach for the three matches against Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, and St Kilda during the 2016 NAB Challenge. In addition there was increased responsibility for development and strategy coach, Brendan McCartney, as the club increased its focus on development. After the departure of development coach and game-day runner, Brad Miller, to Greater Western Sydney to coach their NEAFL side, 2015 retiree, Daniel Cross filled his position as development and rehabilitation coach, and game-day runner. Craig Jennings was recruited from the Western Bulldogs in September 2015 in a newly created position, the game analyst and education coordinator. Michelle Cowan continued in her role as the coach of Melbourne's women's team and in February, she became the first female assistant coach in Melbourne's history and the second in AFL history serving as the player development and welfare coach. Due to family reasons she left the club in July and returned to Western Australia to work with the Fremantle Football Club. Glen Bartlett continued in his role as club president, a role he has held since August 2013. Chief Executive Officer, Peter Jackson, continued with the club after signing a contract extension to the end of the 2017 season.

## Fixture summary

A fixture that was described by Chief Executive Officer, Peter Jackson, as "pleasing", Melbourne played four out of their first five matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, with twelve in total at the MCG. Melbourne featured in the only Sunday-night match of the AFL season when they hosted Richmond in the ANZAC Day eve match at the MCG. They again hosted Collingwood in the annual Queen's Birthday clash in round 12 at the MCG, and due to an ongoing sponsorship deal with Tourism NT, they again played two home matches in the Northern Territory, the first against Port Adelaide at TIO Traeger Park in round 10 and the second against Fremantle at TIO Stadium in round 16. Melbourne played for premiership points in Tasmania for the first time when they played North Melbourne in round 3 at Blundstone Arena, they also played a match in Queensland for the first time since round 20, 2013 when they played Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium in round seven, meaning they played in every state and territory in Australia excluding the Australian Capital Territory.
The teams Melbourne played twice were Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, Collingwood, St Kilda, and Gold Coast, with Hawthorn the only team that made the final eight the previous season. Due to finishing in the bottom six in 2015, Melbourne did not play in many prime-time matches with no Thursday and Friday night matches and they played in only two Saturday night matches, both outside of Victoria. Based on analysis by AFL Media and The Age, Melbourne's draw difficulty was consistent with their bottom six finish in 2015, however, analysis by the Herald Sun estimated they had the fourth most difficult fixture in the league.

## 2016 list changes
### 2015 trades

| Date | Trade gained | Traded from | Trade lost |
| Jake Melksham | 15 October | Essendon | Pick 25 |
| Ben Kennedy Pick 29 Pick 50 | 19 October | Collingwood | Jeremy Howe |
| Ben Kennedy Pick 29 Pick 50 | 19 October | Port Adelaide | Jimmy Toumpas |
| Pick 3 Pick 10 Pick 43 | 21 October | Gold Coast | Pick 6 Pick 29 1st round pick (2016) |
| Pick 94 | 21 October | Hawthorn | Jack Fitzpatrick |
| Tomas Bugg Pick 7 | 21 October | Greater Western Sydney | Pick 10 Pick 43 Pick 64 |

### Retirements and delistings

| Player | New club | League | Reason |
| Daniel Cross | Melbourne | AFL | Retired, but stayed as an assistant coach |
| Viv Michie | Melbourne | AFL | Delisted, but re-drafted as a rookie |
| Rohan Bail | St Kevins | VAFA | Delisted |
| Jack Fitzpatrick | Hawthorn | AFL | Delisted |
| Mark Jamar | Essendon | AFL | Delisted |
| Jordie McKenzie | North Adelaide | SANFL | Delisted |
| Aidan Riley | Sturt | SANFL | Delisted |

### National draft

| Round | Overall pick | Player | State | Position | Team from | League from |
| 1 | 4 | Clayton Oliver | VIC | Midfielder | Murray Bushrangers | TAC Cup |
| 1 | 9 | Sam Weideman | VIC | Forward | Eastern Ranges | TAC Cup |
| 3 | 42 | Mitch King | VIC | Ruck | Murray Bushrangers | TAC Cup |
| 3 | 46 | Liam Hulett | VIC | Forward | Dandenong Stingrays | TAC Cup |

### Rookie draft

| Round | Overall pick | Player | State | Position | Team from | League from |
| 1 | 6 | Josh Wagner | QLD | Defender | Aspley | NEAFL |
| 2 | 24 | Viv Michie | VIC | Midfielder | Melbourne | AFL |
| 3 | 41 | Joel Smith | VIC | Forward | 3-year non-registered player | 3-year non-registered player |

## 2016 season
### Pre-season

The 2016 NAB Challenge saw the senior assistant coach, Simon Goodwin take over as coach in preparation for him becoming the senior coach of the club from the 2017 season. Melbourne was one of three teams to finish undefeated during the pre-season competition with a nineteen-point win against Port Adelaide, a twelve-point win against Western Bulldogs and a twenty five point win against St Kilda. The list headed into the main season with very little injuries apart from young midfielder, Angus Brayshaw who suffered a knee injury five seconds into the first match of the NAB Challenge, which forced him to miss the remainder of the pre-season and round one against Greater Western Sydney.

#### Week 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | | |
| Saturday, 27 February (1:35 pm) | Port Adelaide | def. by | Melbourne | Playford Alive Oval (crowd: 4,981) | Report |
| | 1.3.3 (30) 1.6.5 (50) 1.6.5 (50) 1.10.7 (76) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.2.2 (14) 0.4.3 (27) 0.10.5 (65) 0.15.5 (95) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Broadbent (SG), Westhoff 3, Boak 3, Schulz, White, R. Gray, Young | Broadbent (SG), Westhoff 3, Boak 3, Schulz, White, R. Gray, Young | Goals | Garlett 3, Kent 2, vandenBerg 2, Pedersen 2, Salem, Kennedy, M. Jones, Hogan, Harmes, Tyson | Garlett 3, Kent 2, vandenBerg 2, Pedersen 2, Salem, Kennedy, M. Jones, Hogan, Harmes, Tyson |
| Boak, Westhoff, Hartlett, Toumpas, S. Gray, Pittard | Boak, Westhoff, Hartlett, Toumpas, S. Gray, Pittard | Best | Gawn, Viney, vandenBerg, Garlett, Kennedy, Tyson | Gawn, Viney, vandenBerg, Garlett, Kennedy, Tyson |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Brayshaw (knee) | Brayshaw (knee) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |

#### Week 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | | |
| Sunday, 6 March (2:05 pm) | Western Bulldogs | def. by | Melbourne | Highgate Recreational Reserve (crowd: 4,189) | Report |
| | 0.4.3 (27) 0.4.5 (29) 1.7.8 (59) 1.7.9 (60) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.1.2 (8) 0.4.4 (28) 0.6.5 (35) 0.10.12 (72) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Webb (SG), Hrovat, Roughead, Minson, Redpath, Williams, Honeychurch, Jong | Webb (SG), Hrovat, Roughead, Minson, Redpath, Williams, Honeychurch, Jong | Goals | Watts 3, Pedersen, Garlett, vandenBerg, Tyson, Harmes, N. Jones, Frost | Watts 3, Pedersen, Garlett, vandenBerg, Tyson, Harmes, N. Jones, Frost |
| Jong, Hrovat, Honeychurch, Liberatore, Daniel | Jong, Hrovat, Honeychurch, Liberatore, Daniel | Best | Viney, N. Jones, Watts, Vince, Bugg | Viney, N. Jones, Watts, Vince, Bugg |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |

#### Week 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | | |
| Sunday, 13 March (4:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | St Kilda | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 8,621) | Report |
| | 0.4.1 (25) 0.8.5 (53) 0.11.12 (78) 1.14.14 (107) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.4.5 (29) 0.6.7 (43) 9.10.0 (64) 0.12.11 (83) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Salem (SG), Garlett 3, Watts 2, Oliver 2, Kent 2, Hogan 2, Kennedy, Pedersen, Bugg | Salem (SG), Garlett 3, Watts 2, Oliver 2, Kent 2, Hogan 2, Kennedy, Pedersen, Bugg | Goals | Billings 3, Bruce 2, Armitage, Montagna, Hickey, Steven, Newnes, Weller, Dunstan | Billings 3, Bruce 2, Armitage, Montagna, Hickey, Steven, Newnes, Weller, Dunstan |
| Bugg, N. Jones, Gawn, T. McDonald, Garlett, Tyson, Salem | Bugg, N. Jones, Gawn, T. McDonald, Garlett, Tyson, Salem | Best | Steven, Billings, Armitage, Montagna, Newnes, Fisher, Geary | Steven, Billings, Armitage, Montagna, Newnes, Fisher, Geary |
| Jetta (leg), M. Jones (concussion) | Jetta (leg), M. Jones (concussion) | Injuries | Riewoldt (calf) | Riewoldt (calf) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |

### Home and away season

The opening round saw Melbourne defeat Greater Western Sydney by two points at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in a come from behind victory in which Melbourne scored six final quarter goals to two. Clayton Oliver made his AFL debut in the match, with Tomas Bugg and Ben Kennedy playing their first match for Melbourne after being traded from Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood respectively. The club entered the round two match against Essendon as heavy favourites; Melbourne ultimately lost the match by thirteen points, with Jack Viney admitting after the match they "lacked respect" for Essendon due to the numerous top-up signings from the supplements saga and the players "got ahead of themselves". The next three matches saw Melbourne play consistently for the first time during the season with a narrow three point loss to North Melbourne, a thirty-five point win against Collingwood, and a thirty-three point win against Richmond in the Anzac Day eve match, which saw Melbourne win two matches in a row for the first time since 2011. Josh Wagner and Jayden Hunt made their AFL debuts in rounds three and four respectively. Melbourne played their first match at Etihad Stadium for the season in a home match against St Kilda, even though St Kilda are a tenant of Etihad Stadium. Melbourne lost the match by thirty-nine points, however the match saw the highly hyped Christian Petracca make his long-awaited AFL debut and Jesse Hogan kicked a career-high seven goals.
The next two out of three matches were large victories by Melbourne with a seventy-three point win against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium in round seven and a sixty-three point win against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG in round nine. The match against Gold Coast saw Melbourne score 161 points, their highest since round six in 2004. The match in between, however, was a thirty-two point loss to eventual premiers, the Western Bulldogs. The club headed to Alice Springs in round ten for their first sold home match of the year as part of a sponsorship with Tourism NT. A disappointing match saw Melbourne lose to Port Adelaide by forty-five points in conjunction with a one-match suspension to the in form, Jack Viney. Jack Trengove made his long-awaited return in round eleven against Hawthorn, playing his first AFL match since round two in 2014. The match was level at three-quarter time, however three final quarter goals to zero saw Hawthorn win by eighteen points. The next week was the annual Queen's Birthday clash against Collingwood which Melbourne won by forty-six points, their first Queen's Birthday win since 2007. A fifty-five point loss to Sydney in extremely wet conditions at the Sydney Cricket Ground was Melbourne's last match before the mid-season bye. Melbourne's score of 31 was the lowest score ever recorded at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Melbourne's first match after the bye was against the in form, Adelaide at the MCG, losing by twenty-two points; the match was described as a much closer match than what the scoreboard suggested. Melbourne returned to the Northern Territory for the second time during the season, this time in a thirty-two point win against Fremantle in Darwin; it was also Melbourne's first win in the Northern Territory since 2011. In round 17, Melbourne returned to Etihad Stadium to play against St Kilda for the second time in the season, it was another disappointing loss and the fourteenth consecutive loss against St Kilda. The chance of playing finals was effectively ruled out by then-coach Paul Roos. The next four weeks was the best patch of football for Melbourne, with a narrow six point loss to West Coast in Perth, in which West Coast coach, Adam Simpson declared Melbourne should have won the match. Three consecutive wins against Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide meant Melbourne were back in the frame to potentially play finals. The match against Hawthorn, labelled as one of the upsets of the season, drew high media attention as Hawthorn were on a nine-match winning streak, were on top of the ladder and Melbourne hadn't defeated Hawthorn since 2006. The win against Port Adelaide was also Melbourne's first victory against Port Adelaide in South Australia since 2000. Despite having a chance to play finals, Melbourne lost to an out of form Carlton who had lost their previous nine matches, Melbourne's performance was described as "dispirited". The final match of the season saw Melbourne play at Simonds Stadium against Geelong, they suffered a 111-point loss, the worst for the season and outgoing coach, Paul Roos' biggest defeat in his coaching career.

#### Round 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | | |
| Saturday, 26 March (1:40 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Greater Western Sydney | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 28,505) | Report |
| | 5.0 (30) 5.4 (34) 6.5 (41) 12.8 (80) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.4 (22) 6.8 (44) 8.14 (62) 10.18 (78) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hogan 3, Garlett 2, vandenBerg 2, Vince, Kennedy, Harmes, Kent, Watts | Hogan 3, Garlett 2, vandenBerg 2, Vince, Kennedy, Harmes, Kent, Watts | Goals | Ward 2, Lobb 2, Johnson 2, Scully, Smith, Steele, Greene | Ward 2, Lobb 2, Johnson 2, Scully, Smith, Steele, Greene |
| Viney, Kennedy, T. McDonald, Oliver, N. Jones, Watts, Hogan | Viney, Kennedy, T. McDonald, Oliver, N. Jones, Watts, Hogan | Best | Ward, Scully, Shaw, Davis, Shiel, Lobb | Ward, Scully, Shaw, Davis, Shiel, Lobb |
| O. McDonald (ankle) | O. McDonald (ankle) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Clayton Oliver Debut(s) for MFC: Tomas Bugg (Greater Western Sydney), Ben Kennedy (Collingwood) Milestone(s): Jack Viney (50th AFL game), Clayton Oliver (Rising Star nominee) Brownlow votes: Jack Viney (Melbourne) 3 votes, Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) 2 votes, Phil Davis (Greater Western Sydney) 1 vote Record: 1 win, 0 losses, 0 draws (102.56%) Ladder position: 9th ||||||

#### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | | |
| Saturday, 2 April (2:10 pm) | Essendon | def. | Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 50,424) | Report |
| | 2.2 (14) 7.7 (49) 8.10 (58) 11.14 (80) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.4 (10) 6.4 (40) 7.7 (49) 10.7 (67) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Z. Merrett 2, Brown 2, Daniher 2, Stokes, Hartley, Kommer, Langford, Parish | Z. Merrett 2, Brown 2, Daniher 2, Stokes, Hartley, Kommer, Langford, Parish | Goals | Kennedy 3, Garlett 2, Brayshaw, Harmes, Oliver, Watts, Hogan | Kennedy 3, Garlett 2, Brayshaw, Harmes, Oliver, Watts, Hogan |
| Z. Merrett, Daniher, Zaharakis, Parish, J. Merrett, Goddard, Kelly, McDonald-Tipungwuti | Z. Merrett, Daniher, Zaharakis, Parish, J. Merrett, Goddard, Kelly, McDonald-Tipungwuti | Best | Kennedy, Vince, N. Jones, M. Jones, Tyson | Kennedy, Vince, N. Jones, M. Jones, Tyson |
| Fantasia (knee), Dea (nose) | Fantasia (knee), Dea (nose) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Ambrose (rough conduct) | Ambrose (rough conduct) | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Clayton Oliver (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Zach Merrett (Essendon) 3 votes, David Zaharakis (Essendon) 2 votes, Joe Daniher (Essendon) 1 vote Record: 1 win, 1 loss, 0 draws (93.04%) Ladder position: 11th ||||||

#### Round 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | | |
| Sunday, 10 April (1:10 pm) | North Melbourne | def. | Melbourne | Blundstone Arena (crowd: 12,607) | Report |
| | 8.2 (50) 10.4 (64) 17.7 (109) 21.10 (136) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.2 (14) 11.5 (71) 14.7 (91) 20.11 (131) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Harvey 6, Goldstein 5, Waite 4, Petrie 2, Gibson 2, Ziebell, Macmillan | Harvey 6, Goldstein 5, Waite 4, Petrie 2, Gibson 2, Ziebell, Macmillan | Goals | Kent 4, Watts 3, Hogan 3, Oliver 2, Gawn 2, N. Jones, vandenBerg, Dunn, Tyson, Harmes, Viney | Kent 4, Watts 3, Hogan 3, Oliver 2, Gawn 2, N. Jones, vandenBerg, Dunn, Tyson, Harmes, Viney |
| Harvey, Goldstein, Waite, Ziebell, Cunnington | Harvey, Goldstein, Waite, Ziebell, Cunnington | Best | Vince, Viney, Oliver, Gawn, Hogan, Kent | Vince, Viney, Oliver, Gawn, Hogan, Kent |
| Garner (hamstring) | Garner (hamstring) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Josh Wagner Brownlow votes: Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne) 3 votes, Brent Harvey (North Melbourne) 2 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 1 win, 2 losses, 0 draws (94.56%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 4

| | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 4 | | |
| Sunday, 17 April (3:20 pm) | Collingwood | def. by | Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 47,558) | Report |
| | 1.2 (8) 6.5 (35) 8.10 (58) 9.13 (67) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 6.2 (38) 11.2 (68) 14.4 (88) 16.6 (102) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Cloke 2, Sidebottom 2, Varcoe, Treloar, Sinclair, Fasolo, Moore | Cloke 2, Sidebottom 2, Varcoe, Treloar, Sinclair, Fasolo, Moore | Goals | Watts 4, Tyson 2, Pedersen 2, Hogan 2, Viney, Frost, Kennedy, Brayshaw, Kent, Gawn | Watts 4, Tyson 2, Pedersen 2, Hogan 2, Viney, Frost, Kennedy, Brayshaw, Kent, Gawn |
| Pendlebury, Treloar, Sidebottom, Adams, Langdon | Pendlebury, Treloar, Sidebottom, Adams, Langdon | Best | Gawn, Viney, Watts, Wagner, Tyson, N. Jones, Bugg | Gawn, Viney, Watts, Wagner, Tyson, N. Jones, Bugg |
| Goldsack (illness) replaced in selected side by White, Reid (knee), Sinclair (concussion), Cloke (elbow) | Goldsack (illness) replaced in selected side by White, Reid (knee), Sinclair (concussion), Cloke (elbow) | Injuries | Brayshaw (concussion) | Brayshaw (concussion) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Jayden Hunt Brownlow votes: Jack Watts (Melbourne) 3 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 2 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 2 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws (105.26%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 5

| | Round 5 | Round 5 | Round 5 | | |
| Sunday, 24 April (7:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Richmond | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 59,968) | Report |
| | 5.1 (31) 11.3 (69) 14.7 (91) 20.9 (129) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 7.5 (47) 11.9 (75) 14.12 (96) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Garlett 4, Vince 3, Watts 3, Tyson 2, Gawn 2, Brayshaw, Bugg, Salem, Harmes, Frost, Kent | Garlett 4, Vince 3, Watts 3, Tyson 2, Gawn 2, Brayshaw, Bugg, Salem, Harmes, Frost, Kent | Goals | Riewoldt 3, Lloyd 3, Vickery 3, Edwards, Chaplin, Martin, B. Ellis, Miles | Riewoldt 3, Lloyd 3, Vickery 3, Edwards, Chaplin, Martin, B. Ellis, Miles |
| Gawn, Viney, Tyson, Salem, Kent, N. Jones, Garlett | Gawn, Viney, Tyson, Salem, Kent, N. Jones, Garlett | Best | Cotchin, Miles, Riewoldt, Edwards | Cotchin, Miles, Riewoldt, Edwards |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Deledio (quad) replaced in the side by Townsend, Riewoldt (ankle) | Deledio (quad) replaced in the side by Townsend, Riewoldt (ankle) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Rance (striking) | Rance (striking) |
| Brownlow votes: Max Gawn (Melbourne) 3 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 2 votes, Dom Tyson (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 3 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws (111.38%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 6

| | Round 6 | Round 6 | Round 6 | | |
| Saturday, 30 April (1:45 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | St Kilda | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 27,260) | Report |
| | 5.3 (33) 8.3 (51) 11.5 (71) 15.6 (96) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.4 (22) 9.9 (63) 17.11 (113) 20.15 (135) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Hogan 7, Watts 2, Frost 2, Bugg, Tyson, N. Jones, Kent | Hogan 7, Watts 2, Frost 2, Bugg, Tyson, N. Jones, Kent | Goals | Membrey 5, Riewoldt 3, Bruce 3, Acres 2, Sinclair 2, Dunstan, Newnes, Gresham, Weller, Armitage | Membrey 5, Riewoldt 3, Bruce 3, Acres 2, Sinclair 2, Dunstan, Newnes, Gresham, Weller, Armitage |
| Hogan, Viney, N. Jones, Vince | Hogan, Viney, N. Jones, Vince | Best | Riewoldt, Acres, Steven, Membrey, Sinclair, Armitage | Riewoldt, Acres, Steven, Membrey, Sinclair, Armitage |
| Harmes (corked thigh), Salem (concussion) | Harmes (corked thigh), Salem (concussion) | Injuries | Ross (shoulder), Webster (thumb) | Ross (shoulder), Webster (thumb) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Christian Petracca Brownlow votes: Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) 3 votes, Jesse Hogan (Melbourne) 2 votes, Tim Membrey (St Kilda) 1 vote Record: 3 wins, 3 losses, 0 draws (102.20%) Ladder position: 9th ||||||

#### Round 7

| | Round 7 | Round 7 | Round 7 | | |
| Saturday, 7 May (5:10 pm) | Gold Coast | def. by | Melbourne | Metricon Stadium (crowd: 12,780) | Report |
| | 4.2 (26) 8.2 (50) 11.3 (69) 14.3 (87) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 8.7 (55) 17.11 (113) 24.16 (160) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Lynch 4, Ablett 2, Garlett 2, Wright 2, Currie, Grant, Hall, Macpherson | Lynch 4, Ablett 2, Garlett 2, Wright 2, Currie, Grant, Hall, Macpherson | Goals | Garlett 3, Harmes 3, Pedersen 3, Gawn 2, N. Jones 2, Kennedy 2, Petracca 2, Viney 2, Hogan, Kent, Stretch, Tyson, Vince | Garlett 3, Harmes 3, Pedersen 3, Gawn 2, N. Jones 2, Kennedy 2, Petracca 2, Viney 2, Hogan, Kent, Stretch, Tyson, Vince |
| Lynch, Day, Saad, Miller, Harbrow | Lynch, Day, Saad, Miller, Harbrow | Best | Gawn, Viney, N. Jones, Harmes, Vince, Oliver, Bugg | Gawn, Viney, N. Jones, Harmes, Vince, Oliver, Bugg |
| Rosa (hamstring), Sexton (forearm) | Rosa (hamstring), Sexton (forearm) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Christian Petracca (1st AFL goal), James Harmes (Rising Star nominee) Brownlow votes: Max Gawn (Melbourne) 3 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 2 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 4 wins, 3 losses, 0 draws (112.67%) Ladder position: 9th ||||||

#### Round 8

| | Round 8 | Round 8 | Round 8 | | |
| Sunday, 15 May (3:20 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Western Bulldogs | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 39,921) | Report |
| | 2.2 (14) 5.5 (35) 7.9 (51) 12.10 (82) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.5 (35) 8.9 (57) 12.10 (82) 17.12 (114) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Watts 3, Kennedy 2, Garlett 2, Viney, Petracca, Oliver, T. McDonald, Hogan | Watts 3, Kennedy 2, Garlett 2, Viney, Petracca, Oliver, T. McDonald, Hogan | Goals | Stringer 5, Redpath 3, Picken 2, Dickson 2, McLean, Liberatore, Wallis, Dale, Hunter | Stringer 5, Redpath 3, Picken 2, Dickson 2, McLean, Liberatore, Wallis, Dale, Hunter |
| Viney, Tyson, Stretch, Kennedy, T. McDonald | Viney, Tyson, Stretch, Kennedy, T. McDonald | Best | Bontempelli, Liberatore, Hunter, Dahlhaus, M. Boyd, Picken, Stringer | Bontempelli, Liberatore, Hunter, Dahlhaus, M. Boyd, Picken, Stringer |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Stringer (corked calf), Roberts (head), Roughead (shoulder) | Stringer (corked calf), Roberts (head), Roughead (shoulder) |
| Vince (rough conduct) | Vince (rough conduct) | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Jack Watts (100th AFL goal), Bernie Vince (50th MFC game) Brownlow votes: Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) 3 votes, Lachie Hunter (Western Bulldogs) 2 votes, Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs) 1 vote Record: 4 wins, 4 losses, 0 draws (106.81%) Ladder position: 9th ||||||

#### Round 9

| | Round 9 | Round 9 | Round 9 | | |
| Sunday, 22 May (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Brisbane Lions | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 26,892) | Report |
| | 5.6 (36) 10.7 (77) 13.10 (88) 19.17 (131) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 5.5 (35) 6.10 (46) 9.14 (68) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hogan 5, Harmes 4, Garlett 2, Michie, Kent, Kennedy, Newton, N. Jones, Watts, Viney, Stretch | Hogan 5, Harmes 4, Garlett 2, Michie, Kent, Kennedy, Newton, N. Jones, Watts, Viney, Stretch | Goals | Bell 3, Lester 2, Zorko, Taylor, Keays, Freeman | Bell 3, Lester 2, Zorko, Taylor, Keays, Freeman |
| Hogan, Bugg, Stretch, Petracca, Garlett, Oliver, Watts | Hogan, Bugg, Stretch, Petracca, Garlett, Oliver, Watts | Best | Zorko, Robinson, Bell, Rich | Zorko, Robinson, Bell, Rich |
| Oliver (corked thigh) | Oliver (corked thigh) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Nathan Jones (100th AFL goal), Viv Michie (1st AFL goal), Christian Petracca (Rising Star nominee) Brownlow votes: Jesse Hogan (Melbourne) 3 votes, James Harmes (Melbourne) 2 votes, Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 5 wins, 4 losses, 0 draws (113.59%) Ladder position: 9th ||||||

#### Round 10

| | Round 10 | Round 10 | Round 10 | | |
| Saturday, 28 May (1:40 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Port Adelaide | TIO Traeger Park (crowd: 5,146) | Report |
| | 2.7 (19) 4.9 (33) 9.12 (66) 10.16 (76) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.4 (16) 8.6 (54) 12.11 (83) 18.13 (121) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hogan 3, Watts 2, Gawn 2, Neal-Bullen, Garlett, Kent | Hogan 3, Watts 2, Gawn 2, Neal-Bullen, Garlett, Kent | Goals | Dixon 5, Young 2, Wingard 2, Impey 2, Hartlett, Boak, Howard, R. Gray, Byrne-Jones, Krakouer, Neade | Dixon 5, Young 2, Wingard 2, Impey 2, Hartlett, Boak, Howard, R. Gray, Byrne-Jones, Krakouer, Neade |
| Gawn, N. Jones, Watts, Hogan, Wagner, T. McDonald | Gawn, N. Jones, Watts, Hogan, Wagner, T. McDonald | Best | Wingard, R. Gray, Ebert, Dixon, Westhoff, Boak, Byrne-Jones | Wingard, R. Gray, Ebert, Dixon, Westhoff, Boak, Byrne-Jones |
| Garland (cheekbone) | Garland (cheekbone) | Injuries | Broadbent (gastro) replaced in selected side by S. Gray, Hombsch (hamstring), Stewart (concussion). | Broadbent (gastro) replaced in selected side by S. Gray, Hombsch (hamstring), Stewart (concussion). |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Chad Wingard (Port Adelaide) 3 votes, Charlie Dixon (Port Adelaide) 2 votes, Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide) 1 vote Record: 5 wins, 5 losses, 0 draws (107.33%) Ladder position: 9th ||||||

#### Round 11

| | Round 11 | Round 11 | Round 11 | | |
| Saturday, 4 June (1:45 pm) | Hawthorn | def. | Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 41,833) | Report |
| | 4.5 (29) 6.7 (43) 8.14 (62) 11.16 (82) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.0 (12) 7.2 (44) 10.2 (62) 10.4 (64) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Gunston 3, Breust 2, O'Brien 2, Rioli, Hill, Stewart, Puopolo | Gunston 3, Breust 2, O'Brien 2, Rioli, Hill, Stewart, Puopolo | Goals | Kent 2, Watts 2, Dawes, Petracca, Hogan, vandenBerg, Tyson, N. Jones | Kent 2, Watts 2, Dawes, Petracca, Hogan, vandenBerg, Tyson, N. Jones |
| Mitchell, Lewis, Gibson, Birchall, Smith, Frawley, Gunston | Mitchell, Lewis, Gibson, Birchall, Smith, Frawley, Gunston | Best | Tyson, Vince, N. Jones, Watts, T. McDonald, Kent | Tyson, Vince, N. Jones, Watts, T. McDonald, Kent |
| Gunston (right ankle) | Gunston (right ankle) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Vince (striking) | Vince (striking) |
| Milestone(s): Max Gawn (50th AFL game) Brownlow votes: Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 3 votes, Josh Gibson (Hawthorn) 2 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 5 wins, 6 losses, 0 draws (105.08%) Ladder position: 11th ||||||

#### Round 12

| | Round 12 | Round 12 | Round 12 | | |
| Monday, 13 June (3:20 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Collingwood | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 60,158) | Report |
| | 2.4 (16) 9.6 (60) 11.7 (73) 16.8 (104) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.4 (38) 5.4 (34) 6.6 (42) 8.10 (58) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Hogan 3, Kent 3, Gawn 3, Watts 2, Viney, Trengove, Petracca, N. Jones, Kennedy | Hogan 3, Kent 3, Gawn 3, Watts 2, Viney, Trengove, Petracca, N. Jones, Kennedy | Goals | Cox 2, Maynard, White, Sidebottom, Varcoe, Greenwood, Grundy | Cox 2, Maynard, White, Sidebottom, Varcoe, Greenwood, Grundy |
| Gawn, Vince, N. Jones, Kent, T. McDonald, Tyson, Hogan, Bugg, Kennedy | Gawn, Vince, N. Jones, Kent, T. McDonald, Tyson, Hogan, Bugg, Kennedy | Best | Treloar, Pendlebury, Howe, De Goey, Varcoe | Treloar, Pendlebury, Howe, De Goey, Varcoe |
| vandenBerg (nose) | vandenBerg (nose) | Injuries | Frost (shoulder), Reid (left knee), Pendlebury (left ankle) | Frost (shoulder), Reid (left knee), Pendlebury (left ankle) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 3 votes, Max Gawn (Melbourne) 2 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 6 losses, 0 draws (108.91%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 13

| | Round 13 | Round 13 | Round 13 | | |
| Sunday, 19 June (1:10 pm) | Sydney | def. | Melbourne | Sydney Cricket Ground (crowd: 19,086) | Report |
| | 2.6 (18) 4.8 (32) 6.13 (49) 12.14 (86) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.1 (7) 2.3 (15) 3.6 (24) 4.7 (31) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Franklin 4, Towers 2, McGlynn 2, Hewett, Kennedy, Nankervis, Lloyd | Franklin 4, Towers 2, McGlynn 2, Hewett, Kennedy, Nankervis, Lloyd | Goals | Petracca 2, Kent, Hogan | Petracca 2, Kent, Hogan |
| McVeigh, Parker, Hannebery, Franklin, Jones, Towers | McVeigh, Parker, Hannebery, Franklin, Jones, Towers | Best | Vince, N. Jones, Gawn, Petracca, Viney, Wagner | Vince, N. Jones, Gawn, Petracca, Viney, Wagner |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Luke Parker (Sydney) 3 votes, Lance Franklin (Sydney) 2 votes, Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 7 losses, 0 draws (103.73%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 14

| Round 14 | Round 14 | Round 14 |
| Bye Melbourne | Bye Melbourne | Bye Melbourne |

#### Round 15

| | Round 15 | Round 15 | Round 15 | | |
| Sunday, 3 July (3:20 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Adelaide | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 29,133) | Report |
| | 2.3 (15) 10.4 (64) 14.5 (89) 15.8 (98) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.2 (32) 8.5 (43) 15.8 (98) 18.12 (120) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Gartlett 4, Hogan 3, Watts 3, Kennedy, Hunt, Kent, N. Jones, Harmes | Gartlett 4, Hogan 3, Watts 3, Kennedy, Hunt, Kent, N. Jones, Harmes | Goals | Walker 3, Douglas 3, Betts 3, Jenkins 2, Cameron 2, McGovern 2, Lynch, Atkins, Lyons | Walker 3, Douglas 3, Betts 3, Jenkins 2, Cameron 2, McGovern 2, Lynch, Atkins, Lyons |
| Watts, Hunt, N. Jones, Hogan, Gartlett, Jetta | Watts, Hunt, N. Jones, Hogan, Gartlett, Jetta | Best | Laird, Walker, M. Crouch, B. Crouch, Cameron, Douglas | Laird, Walker, M. Crouch, B. Crouch, Cameron, Douglas |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Dom Tyson (50th MFC game), Jayden Hunt (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Rory Laird (Adelaide) 3 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 2 votes, Rory Sloane (Adelaide) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 8 losses, 0 draws (101.73%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 16

| | Round 16 | Round 16 | Round 16 | | |
| Saturday, 9 July (7:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Fremantle | TIO Stadium (crowd: 8,163) | Report |
| | 6.5 (41) 9.8 (62) 11.11 (77) 12.15 (87) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.0 (12) 3.1 (19) 7.4 (46) 8.7 (55) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hogan 4, Watts 3, Kent 3, vandenBerg, N. Jones | Hogan 4, Watts 3, Kent 3, vandenBerg, N. Jones | Goals | Pavlich 3, Mayne 2, Suban, Taberner, Ballantyne | Pavlich 3, Mayne 2, Suban, Taberner, Ballantyne |
| Hogan, Viney, N. Jones, Watts, Hunt, Tyson, Grimes | Hogan, Viney, N. Jones, Watts, Hunt, Tyson, Grimes | Best | Neale, Hill, Sutcliffe, Pavlich, Blakely | Neale, Hill, Sutcliffe, Pavlich, Blakely |
| O. McDonald (ankle), Vince (shin) | O. McDonald (ankle), Vince (shin) | Injuries | Mundy (concussion) | Mundy (concussion) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Weller (high contact) | Weller (high contact) |
| Brownlow votes: Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 3 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 2 votes, Jesse Hogan (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 7 wins, 8 losses, 0 draws (103.98%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 17

| | Round 17 | Round 17 | Round 17 | | |
| Sunday, 17 July (3:20 pm) | St Kilda | def. | Melbourne | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 25,322) | Report |
| | 3.3 (21) 8.6 (54) 10.12 (72) 15.20 (110) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 6.2 (38) 6.5 (41) 9.7 (61) 11.8 (74) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Membrey 4, Weller 3, Geary 2, Montagna, Bruce, Riewoldt, Roberton, Dunstan | Membrey 4, Weller 3, Geary 2, Montagna, Bruce, Riewoldt, Roberton, Dunstan | Goals | Petracca 2, Garlett 2, Gawn 2, Watts, vandenBerg, Hogan, Viney, Kennedy | Petracca 2, Garlett 2, Gawn 2, Watts, vandenBerg, Hogan, Viney, Kennedy |
| Hickey, Membrey, Steven, Weller, Ross, Montagna | Hickey, Membrey, Steven, Weller, Ross, Montagna | Best | Viney, Vince, T. McDonald, Jetta, Harmes | Viney, Vince, T. McDonald, Jetta, Harmes |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Hogan (hip), Watts (right ankle) | Hogan (hip), Watts (right ankle) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Hogan (striking) | Hogan (striking) |
| Milestone(s): Jack Grimes (100th AFL game) Brownlow votes: Tim Membrey (St Kilda) 3 votes, Maverick Weller (St Kilda) 2 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 7 wins, 9 losses, 0 draws (101.27%) Ladder position: 11th ||||||

#### Round 18

| | Round 18 | Round 18 | Round 18 | | |
| Saturday, 23 July (2:35 pm) | West Coast | def. | Melbourne | Domain Stadium (crowd: 33,908) | Report |
| | 2.1 (13) 5.2 (32) 8.4 (52) 10.6 (66) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.2 (14) 5.4 (34) 8.10 (58) 8.12 (60) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Kennedy 3, Priddis, Darling, Duggan, Lycett, Cripps, Gaff, Hill | Kennedy 3, Priddis, Darling, Duggan, Lycett, Cripps, Gaff, Hill | Goals | Garlett 3, Dawes 2, M Jones, Petracca, Kent | Garlett 3, Dawes 2, M Jones, Petracca, Kent |
| Priddis, Shuey, Gaff, Kennedy, Hurn, Lycett | Priddis, Shuey, Gaff, Kennedy, Hurn, Lycett | Best | N Jones, Tyson, Viney, Garlett, Kent, Gawn | N Jones, Tyson, Viney, Garlett, Kent, Gawn |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Jetta (left knee) | Jetta (left knee) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Matt Priddis (West Coast) 3 votes, Dom Tyson (Melbourne) 2 votes, Dean Kent (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 7 wins, 10 losses, 0 draws (100.83%) Ladder position: 11th ||||||

#### Round 19

| | Round 19 | Round 19 | Round 19 | | |
| Sunday, 31 July (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Gold Coast | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 20,627) | Report |
| | 1.3 (9) 6.6 (42) 7.10 (52) 9.12 (66) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.3 (21) 4.6 (30) 6.8 (44) 9.10 (64) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| vandenBerg 3, Watts 3, Dawes, Kent, Petracca | vandenBerg 3, Watts 3, Dawes, Kent, Petracca | Goals | Lynch 2, Garlett 2, Matera 2, Malceski, Shaw, Grant | Lynch 2, Garlett 2, Matera 2, Malceski, Shaw, Grant |
| Tyson, Watts, Harmes, vandenBerg, O. McDonald, Gawn | Tyson, Watts, Harmes, vandenBerg, O. McDonald, Gawn | Best | Miller, Rosa, Lynch, Harbrow, Shaw | Miller, Rosa, Lynch, Harbrow, Shaw |
| Hogan (knee) | Hogan (knee) | Injuries | Shaw (ankle) | Shaw (ankle) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Tom McDonald (100th AFL game), Chris Dawes (50th MFC game) Brownlow votes: Max Gawn (Melbourne) 3 votes, Jack Watts (Melbourne) 2 votes, Dom Tyson (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 8 wins, 10 losses, 0 draws (100.92%) Ladder position: 11th ||||||

#### Round 20

| | Round 20 | Round 20 | Round 20 | | |
| Saturday, 6 August (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Hawthorn | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 38,818) | Report |
| | 5.2 (32) 9.2 (56) 12.6 (78) 17.8 (110) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.3 (21) 7.9 (51) 10.12 (72) 11.15 (81) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Watts 3, Weideman 2, Bugg 2, Tyson 2, Petracca, Gawn, Hunt, Kent, Brayshaw, vandenBerg, Stretch, Pedersen | Watts 3, Weideman 2, Bugg 2, Tyson 2, Petracca, Gawn, Hunt, Kent, Brayshaw, vandenBerg, Stretch, Pedersen | Goals | Rioli 4, Gunston 2, Ceglar 2, Smith 2, O'Brien | Rioli 4, Gunston 2, Ceglar 2, Smith 2, O'Brien |
| N. Jones, Gawn, Viney, Tyson, Watts, Vince, T. McDonald, Oliver | N. Jones, Gawn, Viney, Tyson, Watts, Vince, T. McDonald, Oliver | Best | Rioli, Smith, Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell | Rioli, Smith, Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Stratton (pectoral muscle) | Stratton (pectoral muscle) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Sam Weideman Milestone(s): Dean Kent (50th AFL game), Sam Weideman (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Jack Viney (Melbourne) 3 votes, Max Gawn (Melbourne) 2 votes, Cyril Rioli (Hawthorn) 1 vote Record: 9 wins, 10 losses, 0 draws (102.58%) Ladder position: 11th ||||||

#### Round 21

| | Round 21 | Round 21 | Round 21 | | |
| Saturday, 13 August (7:10 pm) | Port Adelaide | def. by | Melbourne | Adelaide Oval (crowd: 33,426) | Report |
| | 1.2 (8) 2.4 (16) 6.5 (35) 8.6 (54) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.3 (27) 8.5 (53) 9.9 (63) 13.16 (94) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Polec 2, Young 2, Wingard, Krakouer, Wines, S. Gray | Polec 2, Young 2, Wingard, Krakouer, Wines, S. Gray | Goals | Brayshaw 2, Bugg 2, Garlett 2, Frost, Kent, Oliver, Vince, Tyson, Watts, N. Jones | Brayshaw 2, Bugg 2, Garlett 2, Frost, Kent, Oliver, Vince, Tyson, Watts, N. Jones |
| S. Gray, Polec, R. Gray, Pittard, Wines | S. Gray, Polec, R. Gray, Pittard, Wines | Best | Tyson, Vince, Gawn, Oliver, Hunt | Tyson, Vince, Gawn, Oliver, Hunt |
| Wingard (hamstring) | Wingard (hamstring) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Oscar McDonald (Rising Star nominee) Brownlow votes: Max Gawn (Melbourne) 3 votes, Dom Tyson (Melbourne) 2 votes, Jayden Hunt (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 10 wins, 10 losses, 0 draws (104.78%) Ladder position: 9th ||||||

#### Round 22

| | Round 22 | Round 22 | Round 22 | | |
| Sunday, 21 August (1:10 pm) | Carlton | def. | Melbourne | Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 40,693) | Report |
| | 4.5 (29) 7.8 (50) 10.10 (70) 11.12 (78) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.2 (14) 4.8 (32) 6.10 (46) 7.16 (58) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Buckley 3, Graham 2, Wright, Everitt, Cripps, Sumner, Jones, Phillips | Buckley 3, Graham 2, Wright, Everitt, Cripps, Sumner, Jones, Phillips | Goals | VandenBerg, Hunt, Hogan, Oliver, Bugg, Neal-Bullen, Gawn | VandenBerg, Hunt, Hogan, Oliver, Bugg, Neal-Bullen, Gawn |
| Cripps, Gibbs, Buckley, Docherty, Simpson | Cripps, Gibbs, Buckley, Docherty, Simpson | Best | Tyson, Viney, Hunt, N. Jones, Oliver | Tyson, Viney, Hunt, N. Jones, Oliver |
| Silvagni (soreness) replaced in the selected side by Graham, Kerridge (illness) replaced in the selected side by Everitt, Buckley (head), C. Curnow (knee) | Silvagni (soreness) replaced in the selected side by Graham, Kerridge (illness) replaced in the selected side by Everitt, Buckley (head), C. Curnow (knee) | Injuries | Watts (eye), Kent (leg) | Watts (eye), Kent (leg) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Patrick Cripps (Carlton) 3 votes, Bryce Gibbs (Carlton) 2 votes, Kade Simpson (Carlton) 1 vote Record: 10 wins, 11 losses, 0 draws (103.49%) Ladder position: 10th ||||||

#### Round 23

| | Round 23 | Round 23 | Round 23 | | |
| Saturday, 27 August (1:45 pm) | Geelong | def. | Melbourne | Simonds Stadium (crowd: 24,413) | Report |
| | 8.2 (50) 11.6 (72) 14.10 (94) 24.11 (155) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.0 (12) 3.2 (20) 3.6 (24) 6.8 (44) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Hawkins 6, Menzel 4, Menegola 3, Bartel 3, Motlop 2, Caddy 2, McCarthy, Selwood, Duncan, Taylor | Hawkins 6, Menzel 4, Menegola 3, Bartel 3, Motlop 2, Caddy 2, McCarthy, Selwood, Duncan, Taylor | Goals | Garlett 2, vandenBerg, Weideman, Brayshaw, Hogan | Garlett 2, vandenBerg, Weideman, Brayshaw, Hogan |
| Dangerfield, Caddy, Hawkins, Guthrie, Selwood, Taylor, Menzel | Dangerfield, Caddy, Hawkins, Guthrie, Selwood, Taylor, Menzel | Best | Tyson, Petracca, Hunt, Salem | Tyson, Petracca, Hunt, Salem |
| Kolodjashnij (calf) | Kolodjashnij (calf) | Injuries | Kent (corked thigh), replaced in selected side by M. Jones | Kent (corked thigh), replaced in selected side by M. Jones |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong) 3 votes, Joel Selwood (Geelong) 2 votes, Sam Menegola (Geelong) 1 vote Record: 10 wins, 12 losses, 0 draws (97.64%) Ladder position: 11th ||||||

## Ladder

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Sydney | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2221 | 1469 | 151.2 | 68 | 2016 finals |
| 2 | Geelong | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2235 | 1554 | 143.8 | 68 | 2016 finals |
| 3 | Hawthorn | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2134 | 1800 | 118.6 | 68 | 2016 finals |
| 4 | Greater Western Sydney | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2380 | 1663 | 143.1 | 64 | 2016 finals |
| 5 | Adelaide | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2483 | 1795 | 138.3 | 64 | 2016 finals |
| 6 | West Coast | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2181 | 1678 | 130.0 | 64 | 2016 finals |
| 7 | Western Bulldogs (P) | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 1857 | 1609 | 115.4 | 60 | 2016 finals |
| 8 | North Melbourne | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1956 | 1859 | 105.2 | 48 | 2016 finals |
| 9 | St Kilda | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1953 | 2041 | 95.7 | 48 | |
| 10 | Port Adelaide | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2055 | 1939 | 106.0 | 40 | |
| 11 | Melbourne | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1944 | 1991 | 97.6 | 40 | |
| 12 | Collingwood | 22 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 1910 | 1998 | 95.6 | 36 | |
| 13 | Richmond | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 1713 | 2155 | 79.5 | 32 | |
| 14 | Carlton | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1568 | 1978 | 79.3 | 28 | |
| 15 | Gold Coast | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1778 | 2273 | 78.2 | 24 | |
| 16 | Fremantle | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1574 | 2119 | 74.3 | 16 | |
| 17 | Brisbane Lions | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1770 | 2872 | 61.6 | 12 | |
| 18 | Essendon | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1437 | 2356 | 61.0 | 12 | |

### Ladder breakdown by opposition

| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | Drew | Premiership points | Points for | Points against | Percentage (%) |
| Collingwood | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 206 | 125 | 164.80% |
| Gold Coast | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 226 | 151 | 149.67% |
| Brisbane Lions | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 131 | 68 | 192.65% |
| Fremantle | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 87 | 55 | 158.18% |
| Richmond | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 129 | 96 | 134.38% |
| Hawthorn | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 174 | 163 | 106.75% |
| Greater Western Sydney | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 80 | 78 | 102.56% |
| Port Adelaide | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 170 | 175 | 97.14% |
| North Melbourne | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 136 | 96.32% |
| West Coast | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 66 | 90.91% |
| Essendon | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 80 | 83.75% |
| Adelaide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 98 | 120 | 81.67% |
| Carlton | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 78 | 74.56% |
| Western Bulldogs | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 114 | 71.93% |
| St Kilda | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 170 | 245 | 69.39% |
| Sydney | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 86 | 36.05% |
| Geelong | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 155 | 28.39% |
| Total | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 40 | 1944 | 1998 | 97.64% |

## Tribunal and match review panel cases

| Player | Round | Charge category | Verdict | Early plea | Result | Victim | Club |
| Clayton Oliver | NAB Challenge | Rough conduct | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Aaron Young | Port Adelaide |
| Cameron Pedersen | NAB Challenge | Rough conduct | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Nathan Wright | St Kilda |
| Jeff Garlett | Round 1 | Striking | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Phil Davis | Greater Western Sydney |
| Bernie Vince | Round 3 | Striking | Guilty | Yes | 1 match | Jamie Macmillan | North Melbourne |
| Christian Salem | Round 5 | Involved in a melee (first offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | N/A | Richmond |
| Jack Viney | Round 5 | Involved in a melee (first offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | N/A | Richmond |
| Lynden Dunn | Round 5 | Involved in a melee (first offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | N/A | Richmond |
| Jayden Hunt | Round 5 | Involved in a melee (first offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | N/A | Richmond |
| Nathan Jones | Round 5 | Wrestling (second offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1500 | Anthony Miles | Richmond |
| Tomas Bugg | Round 5 | Making contact with an injured player | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Jack Riewoldt | Richmond |
| Neville Jetta | Round 8 | Rough conduct | Guilty | Yes | 1 match | Marcus Bontempelli | Western Bulldogs |
| Cameron Pedersen | Round 8 | Rough conduct | Guilty | Yes | $1500 | Fletcher Roberts | Western Bulldogs |
| Bernie Vince | Round 8 | Rough conduct | Not guilty | N/A | N/A | Mitch Wallis | Western Bulldogs |
| Nathan Jones | Round 9 | Wrestling (third offence) | Guilty | Yes | $2500 | Daniel Merrett | Brisbane Lions |
| Jack Viney | Round 10 | Striking | Guilty | Yes | 1 match | Brad Ebert | Port Adelaide |
| Nathan Jones | Round 11 | Wrestling (third offence) | Guilty | Yes | $2500 | Liam Shiels | Hawthorn |
| Bernie Vince | Round 11 | Striking | Not guilty | N/A | N/A | Isaac Smith | Hawthorn |
| Bernie Vince | Round 13 | Rough conduct | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Luke Parker | Sydney |
| Jesse Hogan | Round 17 | Striking | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Jarryn Geary | St Kilda |

## Awards
### Brownlow Medal tally

| Player | 3 vote games | 2 vote games | 1 vote games | Total votes |
| Max Gawn | 4 | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| Jack Viney | 2 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| Nathan Jones | 1 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| Jesse Hogan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Dom Tyson | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Bernie Vince | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Jack Watts | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Clayton Oliver | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| James Harmes | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Jayden Hunt | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Dean Kent | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 11 | 14 | 12 | 71 |

### Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal tally (top 10)

| Position | Player | Votes |
| 1st | Jack Viney | 407 |
| 2nd | Nathan Jones | 399 |
| 3rd | Max Gawn | 374 |
| 4th | Dom Tyson | 357 |
| 5th | Jack Watts | 308 |
| 6th | Tom McDonald | 306 |
| 7th | Bernie Vince | 287 |
| 8th | Jesse Hogan | 261 |
| 9th | Neville Jetta | 260 |
| 10th | Dean Kent | 235 |
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy – Jack Viney
Sid Anderson Memorial Trophy (second in the best and fairest) – Nathan Jones
Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy (third in the best and fairest) – Max Gawn
Ivor Warne-Smith Memorial Trophy (fourth in the best and fairest) – Dom Tyson
Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy (fifth in the best and fairest) – Jack Watts
Harold Ball Memorial Trophy (best young player) – Jayden Hunt
Troy Broadbridge Trophy (best Melbourne-listed player in the VFL) – Jack Grimes
Ron Barassi Jnr Trophy (leadership award) – Jack Viney
Ian Ridley Trophy (club ambassador award) – Neville Jetta
Norm Smith Memorial Trophy (coach's award) – Max Gawn
James McDonald Trophy (heart and spirit award) – Max Gawn
Leading goalkicker award – Jesse Hogan (41 goals)