# 2008 Melbourne Football Club season

The 2008 Melbourne Football Club season was the club's 109th year in the VFL/AFL.
In conjunction with the AFL celebrating 150 years since the sport of Australian rules football was first created, the Melbourne Football Club also celebrated its 150th anniversary since its foundation in 1858. This included the celebration of their "150 Heroes", which commemorated the 150 greatest contributing players to ever play for Melbourne. Despite the celebrations, the Demons were tarnished by major on and off field disasters that led to the resignation of Paul Gardiner as chairman of the club and installation of Jim Stynes midway through the season. During August, Jim Stynes attempted to eliminate Melbourne of its major debt with a program called "Debt Demolition".
Melbourne hosted 10 of its 11 games at the MCG, which included its first "home game" against the Brisbane Lions outside of the Gabba since 2000. They also played a home game at Manuka Oval in the nation's capital Canberra against the Sydney Swans during Round 13. Dean Bailey coached his first year as senior coach at Melbourne. David Neitz captained his ninth year for the Demons, however after aggravating a disc in his neck during the Round 5 clash against Carlton, he announced his retirement on 19 May. For the remainder of the year, the captaincy was shared between Cameron Bruce and James McDonald.
Melbourne's horrid year on-field form caused them to win only three matches and ensured they received their 11th wooden spoon.

## 2008 list changes
### 2007 trades

| Trade gained | Traded from | Trade lost |
| Pick 14 | Brisbane Lions | Travis Johnstone |
| John Meesen | Adelaide | Pick 37 |

### Retirements and delistings

| Player | New club | League | Reason |
| Nathan D. Brown | West Adelaide | SANFL | Retired |
| Clint Bizzell | Unknown | Unknown | Retired |
| Byron Pickett | Port Adelaide Magpies | SANFL | Retired |
| Ryan Ferguson | West Adelaide | SANFL | Delisted |
| Heath Neville | Hobart | TSL | Delisted |
| Shane Neaves | West Adelaide | SANFL | Delisted |
| Daniel Hayes | Unknown | Unknown | Delisted |
| Simon Godfrey | Norwood | Eastern Football League | Delisted |
| Daniel Ward | Unknown | Unknown | Delisted |

### National draft

| Round | Overall pick | Player | Position | Team from | League from |
| 1 | 4 | Cale Morton | Forward/Midfield | Claremont | WAFL |
| 1 | 14 | Jack Grimes | Defender/Midfield | Northern Knights | TAC Cup |
| 2 | 21 | Addam Maric | Forward | Calder Cannons | TAC Cup |
| 4 | 53 | Kyle Cheney | Defender | North Ballarat Rebels | TAC Cup |
| 5 | 66 | Tom McNamara | Defender | South Adelaide | SANFL |

### Pre-season draft

| Round | Overall pick | Player | State | Position | Team from | League from |
| 1 | 3 | Stefan Martin | | Ruckman/Defender | Sandringham | VFL |

### Rookie draft

| Round | Overall pick | Player | Position | Team from | League from |
| 1 | 3 | Trent Zomer | Utility | Eastern Ranges | TAC Cup |
| 2 | 19 | Austin Wonaeamirri | Forward | St Mary's Football Club Norwood | NTFL SANFL |
| 3 | 35 | Jake Spencer | Ruckman | Redland Bombers | QAFL |
| 4 | 49 | Shane Valenti | Midfield | Sandringham | VFL |

## 2008 season
### Pre-season
#### NAB Cup
##### Week 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | | |
| Saturday, 16 February (4:40 pm) | Geelong | def. | Melbourne | Skilled Stadium (crowd: 15,000 est) | |
| | 0.8.1 (49) 1.12.4 (85) 1.15.7 (106) 2.22.11 (161) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.2.4 (16) 1.4.4 (37) 2.8.5 (71) 2.11.5 (89) | Umpires: Rosebury, Nicholls, Sully, Kamolins Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Rosebury, Nicholls, Sully, Kamolins Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Byrnes, Wojcinski | Byrnes, Wojcinski | Super Goals | Buckley, Garland | Buckley, Garland |
| Johnson 6, Lonergan 2, Gamble 2, Davenport 2, Kelly 2, Byrnes, Ablett, Stokes, Hunt, Prismall, Milburn, Mooney, Wojcinski | Johnson 6, Lonergan 2, Gamble 2, Davenport 2, Kelly 2, Byrnes, Ablett, Stokes, Hunt, Prismall, Milburn, Mooney, Wojcinski | Goals | Newton 2, Garland 2, Valenti, Meesen, Sylvia, Zomer, Green, Weetra, Robertson | Newton 2, Garland 2, Valenti, Meesen, Sylvia, Zomer, Green, Weetra, Robertson |
| Johnson, Prismall, Ling, Stokes, Milburn, Mooney, Bartel, Wojcinski, Kelly | Johnson, Prismall, Ling, Stokes, Milburn, Mooney, Bartel, Wojcinski, Kelly | Best | Jones, Buckley, Valenti, Garland | Jones, Buckley, Valenti, Garland |
| Ablett (calf) | Ablett (calf) | Injuries | | |
| Record: 0 Wins, 1 Loss, 0 Draws ||||||

#### NAB Challenge
##### Week 2

| | Week 2 | Week 2 | Week 2 | | |
| Friday, 22 Feb (7:30 pm) | Richmond | def. | Melbourne | Cazaly's Stadium (crowd: 5,321) | |
| | 5.3 (33) 6.4 (40) 11.5 (71) 14.10 (94) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 5.5 (35) 6.9 (45) 8.11 (59) | Umpires: Kamolins, Armstrong, Kennedy Television broadcast: none | Umpires: Kamolins, Armstrong, Kennedy Television broadcast: none |
| Pettifer 3, Schulz 2, Hughes 2, Howat 2, Pattison, Foley, Morton, Brown, Raines | Pettifer 3, Schulz 2, Hughes 2, Howat 2, Pattison, Foley, Morton, Brown, Raines | Goals | Newton 2, Bartram, Petterd, Green, Maric, Weetra, Davey | Newton 2, Bartram, Petterd, Green, Maric, Weetra, Davey |
| Pettifer, Newman, Simmonds, Tambling, Foley, Bowden | Pettifer, Newman, Simmonds, Tambling, Foley, Bowden | Best | Newton, Jones, Davey, Sylvia, Johnson, Valenti | Newton, Jones, Davey, Sylvia, Johnson, Valenti |
| Record: 0 Wins, 1 Loss, 0 Draws ||||||

##### Week 3

| | Week 3 | Week 3 | Week 3 | | |
| Friday, 29 Feb (7:00 pm) | Western Bulldogs | def. | Melbourne | Queen Elizabeth Oval (crowd: 7000 est) | |
| | 2.3 (15) 8.4 (52) 11.7 (73) 14.9 (93) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.4 (34) 6.6 (42) 9.9 (63) 9.9 (63) | Umpires: Head, Kamolins, Mollison Television broadcast: none | Umpires: Head, Kamolins, Mollison Television broadcast: none |
| Murphy 2, Akermanis 2, Eagleton, Minson, O'Keefe, Ward, Hahn, Johnson, Boyd, Mulligan, Griffen, Welsh | Murphy 2, Akermanis 2, Eagleton, Minson, O'Keefe, Ward, Hahn, Johnson, Boyd, Mulligan, Griffen, Welsh | Goals | Davey 2, Robertson 2, Neitz 2, Bate 2, Jones | Davey 2, Robertson 2, Neitz 2, Bate 2, Jones |
| Akermanis, Eagleton, Higgins, Hill, Cooney, Johnson | Akermanis, Eagleton, Higgins, Hill, Cooney, Johnson | Best | Davey, Jones, Bate, Yze, Buckley, Sylvia | Davey, Jones, Bate, Yze, Buckley, Sylvia |
| | | Reports | Robertson (charging) | Robertson (charging) |
| 13 minutes into the last quarter a power failure caused a black-out of the stadium. The match was therefore abandoned with the Western Bulldogs leading Melbourne 14.9.93 to 9.9.63. Record: 0 Wins, 2 Losses, 0 Draws ||||||

##### Week 4

| | Week 4 | Week 4 | Week 4 | | |
| Saturday, 5 Mar (2:00 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | North Melbourne | Casey Fields (crowd: 6000+ est) | |
| | 6.3 (39) 8.4 (52) 10.8 (68) 14.10 (94) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 6.4 (40) 11.7 (73) 19.11 (125) 22.14 (146) | Television broadcast: none | Television broadcast: none |
| North Melbourne finished comfortable winners over Melbourne winning 22.14.146 to 14.10.94. Record: 0 Wins, 3 Losses, 0 Draws ||||||

### Home and away season
#### Round 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | | |
| Sunday, 23 Mar (4:40 pm) | Hawthorn | def. | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 40,141) | |
| | 5.5 (35) 7.10 (52) 15.12 (102) 23.16 (154) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.1 (7) 1.5 (11) 2.10 (22) 6.14 (50) | Umpires: Farmer, Kennedy, Nicholls Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Farmer, Kennedy, Nicholls Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Franklin 6, Roughead 3, Osborne 3, Dew 2, Boyle 2, Stokes 2, Campbell 2, Taylor, Young, Rioli | Franklin 6, Roughead 3, Osborne 3, Dew 2, Boyle 2, Stokes 2, Campbell 2, Taylor, Young, Rioli | Goals | Robertson 3, Green 2, Newton | Robertson 3, Green 2, Newton |
| Bateman, Franklin, Mitchell, Gilham, Osborne, Ladson, Dew, Birchall | Bateman, Franklin, Mitchell, Gilham, Osborne, Ladson, Dew, Birchall | Best | Jones, Buckley, Green, Moloney | Jones, Buckley, Green, Moloney |
| Croad (wrist) | Croad (wrist) | Injuries | | |
| Melbourne lost its first game by over 100 points since Round 18, 1997. Debut(s): Cale Morton, Isaac Weetra Brownlow Votes: 1. Chance Bateman (Hawthorn), 2. Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), 3. Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) Record: 0 Wins, 1 Loss, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | | |
| Saturday, 29 Mar (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Western Bulldogs | MCG (crowd: 27,821) | |
| | 2.4 (16) 5.8 (38) 7.9 (51) 9.12 (66) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.5 (17) 9.9 (63) 18.13 (121) 24.17 (161) | Umpires: Farmer, Kamolins, Ryan Television broadcast: Network Ten | Umpires: Farmer, Kamolins, Ryan Television broadcast: Network Ten |
| Neitz 2, White 2, Robertson 2, Davey, Green, Jones | Neitz 2, White 2, Robertson 2, Davey, Green, Jones | Goals | Murphy 4, Hill 3, Welsh 3, Akermanis 3, Johnson 3, Cross 3, Giansiracusa, Wight, Gilbee, Hahn, Griffen | Murphy 4, Hill 3, Welsh 3, Akermanis 3, Johnson 3, Cross 3, Giansiracusa, Wight, Gilbee, Hahn, Griffen |
| Wheatley, McDonald, Jones, Green, Carroll | Wheatley, McDonald, Jones, Green, Carroll | Best | Cross, West, Murphy, Cooney, Hill, Gilbee, Griffen, Boyd | Cross, West, Murphy, Cooney, Hill, Gilbee, Griffen, Boyd |
| Milestone(s): James McDonald (200th AFL game) Brownlow Votes: 1. Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), 2. Daniel Cross (Western Bulldogs), 3. Scott West (Western Bulldogs) Record: 0 Wins, 2 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | | |
| Sunday, 6 April (1:10 pm) | Geelong | def. | Melbourne | Skilled Stadium (crowd: 23,569) | |
| | 4.4 (28) 8.11 (59) 13.14 (92) 16.16 (112) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.4 (22) 6.6 (42) 10.8 (68) 12.10 (82) | Umpires: Wenn, Sully, Ryan Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Wenn, Sully, Ryan Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Hawkins 5, Mooney 2, Ling 2, Johnson 2, Blake, Ablett, Stokes, Milburn, Chapman | Hawkins 5, Mooney 2, Ling 2, Johnson 2, Blake, Ablett, Stokes, Milburn, Chapman | Goals | Bruce 3, Dunn 2, Morton 2, Miller, Wheatley, Neitz, White, Green | Bruce 3, Dunn 2, Morton 2, Miller, Wheatley, Neitz, White, Green |
| Corey, Bartel, Hawkins, Ling, Chapman, Taylor | Corey, Bartel, Hawkins, Ling, Chapman, Taylor | Best | Morton, Johnson, Wheatley, Bruce, Green | Morton, Johnson, Wheatley, Bruce, Green |
| Geelong finally unraveled its 2007 AFL premiership flag at the ground. Odds of up to $34 from some betting agencies were offered for Melbourne to beat Geelong. These were the highest ever offered in a VFL/AFL game. Despite Melbourne kicking the first 3 goals of the game and staying in it for a large proportion of the game, Geelong proved to be too strong for a young Demons outfit running away with the game by 30 points. Debut(s): Austin Wonaeamirri Brownlow Votes: 1. Joel Corey (Geelong), 2. Tom Hawkins (Geelong), 3. Paul Chapman (Geelong) Record: 0 Wins, 3 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 4

| | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 4 | | |
| Saturday, 12 April (2:10 pm) | North Melbourne | def. | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 23,427) | |
| | 4.8 (32) 8.11 (59) 13.15 (93) 18.19 (117) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.0 (6) 3.6 (24) 5.10 (40) 11.13 (79) | Umpires: Farmer, Armstrong, McInerney Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Farmer, Armstrong, McInerney Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Thompson 5, Edwards 3, Thomas 3, Campbell 2, Jones 2, Grant, Harvey, Smith | Thompson 5, Edwards 3, Thomas 3, Campbell 2, Jones 2, Grant, Harvey, Smith | Goals | Robertson 3, Wonaeamirri 2, Davey, Dunn, Jamar, McLean, Wheatley, White | Robertson 3, Wonaeamirri 2, Davey, Dunn, Jamar, McLean, Wheatley, White |
| Harvey, Wells, Rawlings, Thompson, Edwards, Power, Power, Campbell, Firrito | Harvey, Wells, Rawlings, Thompson, Edwards, Power, Power, Campbell, Firrito | Best | Davey, McDonald, Green | Davey, McDonald, Green |
| Gibson (knee) | Gibson (knee) | Injuries | | |
| | | Reports | Miller (charging) | Miller (charging) |
| This match was originally scheduled to be played at Carrara Stadium. However due to North Melbourne's refusal to relocate north to the Gold Coast, the match was moved to the MCG. Brownlow Votes: 1. Daniel Wells (North Melbourne), 2. Nathan Thompson (North Melbourne), 3. Brent Harvey (North Melbourne) Record: 0 Wins, 4 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 5

| | Round 5 | Round 5 | Round 5 | | |
| Sunday, 20 April (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Carlton | MCG (crowd: 44,159) | |
| | 1.3 (9) 4.5 (29) 4.9 (33) 9.14 (68) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.3 (21) 10.6 (66) 12.10 (82) 15.11 (101) | Umpires: Stevic, Stewart, Schmitt Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Stevic, Stewart, Schmitt Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Green 4, Robertson 2, Jamar, Jones, McDonald | Green 4, Robertson 2, Jamar, Jones, McDonald | Goals | Fevola 7, Judd 3, Fisher, Kreuzer, Ó hAilpín, Murphy, Pfeiffer | Fevola 7, Judd 3, Fisher, Kreuzer, Ó hAilpín, Murphy, Pfeiffer |
| Bruce, Green, McLean, White, McDonald | Bruce, Green, McLean, White, McDonald | Best | Judd, Scotland, Kreuzer, Waite, Carrazzo | Judd, Scotland, Kreuzer, Waite, Carrazzo |
| Neitz (neck/shoulder) | Neitz (neck/shoulder) | Injuries | Bannister (hamstring), Gibbs | Bannister (hamstring), Gibbs |
| Whelan (striking) | Whelan (striking) | Reports | Thornton (striking) | Thornton (striking) |
| This game marked David Neitz's last ever AFL match, due to a neck injury sustained during the second quarter when Jarrad Waite laid a heavy tackle on him. Milestone(s): Daniel Bell (50th AFL game) Brownlow Votes: 1. Brendan Fevola (Carlton), 2. Jarrad Waite (Carlton), 3. Chris Judd (Carlton) Record: 0 Wins, 5 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 6

| | Round 6 | Round 6 | Round 6 | | |
| Sunday, 27 April (1:10 pm) | Brisbane Lions | def. | Melbourne | Gabba (crowd: 22,878) | |
| | 3.6 (24) 10.13 (73) 15.17 (107) 19.23 (137) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.1 (13) 5.2 (32) 8.3 (51) 13.7 (85) | Umpires: Nicholls, Head, Armstrong Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Nicholls, Head, Armstrong Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Bradshaw 6, Hooper 4, Corrie 3, Johnstone 2, Brown 2, Adcock, Rischitelli | Bradshaw 6, Hooper 4, Corrie 3, Johnstone 2, Brown 2, Adcock, Rischitelli | Goals | Jones 4, Wonaeamirri 3, Miller 2, Sylvia 2, Green, Robertson | Jones 4, Wonaeamirri 3, Miller 2, Sylvia 2, Green, Robertson |
| Black, Power, Corrie, Macdonald, Brennan, Hooper | Black, Power, Corrie, Macdonald, Brennan, Hooper | Best | Jones, Green, Moloney, Bruce, Wonaeamirri, Jamar | Jones, Green, Moloney, Bruce, Wonaeamirri, Jamar |
| | | Injuries | Sylvia (shoulder) | Sylvia (shoulder) |
| Brownlow Votes: 1. Daniel Bradshaw (Brisbane Lions), 2. Anthony Corrie (Brisbane Lions), 3. Simon Black (Brisbane Lions) Record: 0 Wins, 6 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 7

| | Round 7 | Round 7 | Round 7 | | |
| Sunday, 4 May (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Fremantle | MCG (crowd: 19,423) | |
| | 1.3 (9) 3.8 (26) 8.15 (63) 17.17 (119) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.6 (36) 11.10 (76) 13.17 (95) 15.23 (113) | Umpires: James, Stewart, Avon Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: James, Stewart, Avon Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Wonaeamirri 4, Robertson 4, Davey 3, Miller 3, Green 2, Moloney | Wonaeamirri 4, Robertson 4, Davey 3, Miller 3, Green 2, Moloney | Goals | Pavlich 5, Tarrant 3, Farmer 2, Palmer, Bell, Ibbotson, Mundy, Solomon | Pavlich 5, Tarrant 3, Farmer 2, Palmer, Bell, Ibbotson, Mundy, Solomon |
| McLean, Wonaeamirri, Robertson, Davey, Miller, Bruce, Green | McLean, Wonaeamirri, Robertson, Davey, Miller, Bruce, Green | Best | Pavlich, Solomon, Palmer, Sandilands, Bell, Ibbotson, Tarrant | Pavlich, Solomon, Palmer, Sandilands, Bell, Ibbotson, Tarrant |
| | | Injuries | McPharlin (corked buttock), Headland (knee) | McPharlin (corked buttock), Headland (knee) |
| Trailing by as much as 51 points at the start of the third quarter, Melbourne kicked 14 goal to 4 in the second half to win by 6 points and give Dean Bailey a historical first win as a senior coach. Melbourne's win was the second greatest win from a half-time deficit in VFL/AFL history. Melbourne players received Brownlow votes from this match for the first time in 2008. Austin Wonaeamirri received the NAB AFL Rising Star nomitation for Round 7. Brownlow Votes: 1. Jeff White (Melbourne), 2. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle), 3. Brock McLean (Melbourne) Record: 1 Win, 6 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 8

| | Round 8 | Round 8 | Round 8 | | |
| Sunday, 18 May (12:40 pm) | Adelaide | def. | Melbourne | AAMI Stadium (crowd: 35,649) | |
| | 8.1 (49) 12.6 (78) 15.15 (105) 22.18 (150) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.4 (28) 6.5 (41) 7.7 (49) 11.8 (74) | Umpires: Fila, Meredith, Ellis Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Fila, Meredith, Ellis Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Burton 5, Tippett 4, Goodwin 3, Jericho 3, Porplyzia 3, Stevens, Knights, van Berlo, Vince | Burton 5, Tippett 4, Goodwin 3, Jericho 3, Porplyzia 3, Stevens, Knights, van Berlo, Vince | Goals | Morton 3, Robertson 2, Wonaeamirri, Miller, Moloney, Garland, Bartram, Bate | Morton 3, Robertson 2, Wonaeamirri, Miller, Moloney, Garland, Bartram, Bate |
| Burton, Vince, Tippett, Porplyzia, van Berlo, Goodwin, Bock, Shirley | Burton, Vince, Tippett, Porplyzia, van Berlo, Goodwin, Bock, Shirley | Best | Bartram, Buckley, Jones, Morton | Bartram, Buckley, Jones, Morton |
| Massie (hamstring) | Massie (hamstring) | Injuries | Rivers | Rivers |
| Debut(s):Shane Valenti Brownlow Votes: 1. Brett Burton (Adelaide), 2. Bernie Vince (Adelaide), 3. Jason Porplyzia (Adelaide) Record: 1 Win, 7 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 9

| | Round 9 | Round 9 | Round 9 | | |
| Sunday, 25 May (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Hawthorn | MCG (crowd: 41,341) | |
| | 4.3 (27) 6.4 (40) 9.5 (59) 12.6 (78) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.3 (21) 4.7 (31) 10.9 (69) 14.13 (97) | Umpires: James, Grun, Armstrong Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: James, Grun, Armstrong Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Holland 3, Robertson 2, Wonaeamirri 2, Jones 2, Johnson, Davey, Bruce | Holland 3, Robertson 2, Wonaeamirri 2, Jones 2, Johnson, Davey, Bruce | Goals | Franklin 3, Rioli 3, Williams 3, Ladson, Campbell, Roughead, Ellis, Clarke | Franklin 3, Rioli 3, Williams 3, Ladson, Campbell, Roughead, Ellis, Clarke |
| McLean, Bate, Davey, Holland, Wonaeamirri, Moloney | McLean, Bate, Davey, Holland, Wonaeamirri, Moloney | Best | Bateman, Rioli, Campbell, Birchall, Mitchell, Franklin | Bateman, Rioli, Campbell, Birchall, Mitchell, Franklin |
| White (back), Robertson (thigh), Holland (shoulder) | White (back), Robertson (thigh), Holland (shoulder) | Injuries | Lewis (thigh), Dew (hamstring) | Lewis (thigh), Dew (hamstring) |
| Melbourne gave a spirited effort against Hawthorn after the announcement of David Neitz's retirement as well as controversial comments made by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett against the club earlier that week. Despite a full game effort by Melbourne, Hawthorn would triumph by 19 points and regain top spot on the AFL ladder. Hawthorn's second win over Melbourne for the year allowed them to overtake Melbourne's tally in wins for all VFL/AFL games contested between the two sides. Brownlow Votes: 1. Brock McLean (Melbourne), 2. Brad Sewell (Hawthorn), 3. Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) Record: 1 Win, 8 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 10

| | Round 10 | Round 10 | Round 10 | | |
| Sunday, 1 June (2:10 pm) | St Kilda | def. | Melbourne | Telstra Dome (crowd: 27,854) | |
| | 5.4 (34) 10.6 (66) 12.12 (84) 19.15 (129) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.2 (14) 3.4 (22) 3.6 (24) 7.8 (50) | Umpires: Stevic, Stewart, Head Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: Stevic, Stewart, Head Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Schneider 5, Milne 3, Birss 2, Koschitzke 2, Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Gram, Ball, Jones, Montagna, Dempster | Schneider 5, Milne 3, Birss 2, Koschitzke 2, Riewoldt, Dal Santo, Gram, Ball, Jones, Montagna, Dempster | Goals | Yze 3, Dunn, Robertson, Sylvia, Bruce | Yze 3, Dunn, Robertson, Sylvia, Bruce |
| Ball, Fisher, Gram, Dal Santo, Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt | Ball, Fisher, Gram, Dal Santo, Goddard, Montagna, Riewoldt | Best | Mcdonald, McLean, Bruce, Warnock, Garland | Mcdonald, McLean, Bruce, Warnock, Garland |
| | | Injuries | Robertson (achilles), Bate (hand) | Robertson (achilles), Bate (hand) |
| Russell Robertson's season would end pre-maturely after rupturing an Achilles tendon during the game. Milestone(s): Brad Miller (100th AFL game) Brownlow Votes: 1. Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), 2. Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), 3. Luke Ball (St Kilda) Record: 1 Win, 9 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 11

| | Round 11 | Round 11 | Round 11 | | |
| Monday, 9 June (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Collingwood | MCG (crowd: 59,548) | |
| | 4.1 (25) 7.4 (46) 11.9 (75) 13.17 (95) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.2 (20) 8.5 (53) 15.8 (98) 17.14 (116) | Umpires: Vosso, Farmer, Meredith Television broadcast: Network Ten | Umpires: Vosso, Farmer, Meredith Television broadcast: Network Ten |
| Wonaeamirri 3, Sylvia 3, Yze 2, Green 2, Dunn, Jones, McLean | Wonaeamirri 3, Sylvia 3, Yze 2, Green 2, Dunn, Jones, McLean | Goals | Didak 2, Shaw 2, Lockyer 2, Davis 2, Fraser, Johnson, Medhurst, Brown, Swan, Wellingham, O'Brien, Cox, Thomas | Didak 2, Shaw 2, Lockyer 2, Davis 2, Fraser, Johnson, Medhurst, Brown, Swan, Wellingham, O'Brien, Cox, Thomas |
| McLean, Jones, Bruce, Yze, Warnock, Dunn | McLean, Jones, Bruce, Yze, Warnock, Dunn | Best | Burns, Didak, Lockyer, Maxwell, O'Brien, Bryan | Burns, Didak, Lockyer, Maxwell, O'Brien, Bryan |
| Rivers (groin), Moloney (shoulder) | Rivers (groin), Moloney (shoulder) | Injuries | Rocca (ankle), Pendlebury (back), Cook | Rocca (ankle), Pendlebury (back), Cook |
| Before the match Melbourne celebrated its 150 Heroes with a Lap of Honour around the MCG from past players. Also before the match Paul Gardiner announced his resignation as Melbourne's president and announced Jim Stynes as his successor. Collingwood's win ended Melbourne's winning streak of 4 consecutive Queen's Birthday clashes Brownlow Votes: 1. Adem Yze (Melbourne), 2. Scott Burns (Collingwood), 3. Tarkyn Lockyer (Collingwood) Record: 1 win, 10 losses, 0 draws Ladder position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 12

| | Round 12 | Round 12 | Round 12 | | |
| Sunday, 15 June (4:40 pm) | Richmond | def. | Melbourne | Telstra Dome (crowd: 27,348) | |
| | 3.6 (24) 11.13 (79) 13.15 (93) 16.20 (116) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.3 (33) 6.5 (41) 11.8 (74) 14.10 (94) | Umpires: Sully, Nicholls, Ryan Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Sully, Nicholls, Ryan Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Richardson 5, Brown 3, Morton 2, Cotchin 2, Polak, Simmonds, Tuck, White | Richardson 5, Brown 3, Morton 2, Cotchin 2, Polak, Simmonds, Tuck, White | Goals | Miller 3, Bartram 2, Bruce 2, Davey 2, Bate, Garland, Green, White, Wonaeamirri | Miller 3, Bartram 2, Bruce 2, Davey 2, Bate, Garland, Green, White, Wonaeamirri |
| Richardson, Deledio, Brown, Tuck, Cotchin, Polak | Richardson, Deledio, Brown, Tuck, Cotchin, Polak | Best | Bruce, Wheatley, McLean, Miller, White, Garland | Bruce, Wheatley, McLean, Miller, White, Garland |
| Brownlow Votes: 1. Brock McLean (Melbourne), 2. Brett Deledio (Richmond), 3. Matthew Richardson (Richmond) Record: 1 Win, 11 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 13

| | Round 13 | Round 13 | Round 13 | | |
| Sunday, 22 June (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Sydney | Manuka Oval (crowd: 11,437) | |
| | 2.2 (14) 5.3 (33) 10.5 (65) 11.8 (74) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 7.2 (44) 10.5 (65) 12.10 (82) 17.12 (114) | Umpires: Sully, Grun, Head Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Sully, Grun, Head Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Bate 4, Wonaeamirri 3, Bruce, Johnson, McLean, Miller | Bate 4, Wonaeamirri 3, Bruce, Johnson, McLean, Miller | Goals | Hall 5, Buchanan 2, Mattner 2, O'Loughlin 2, Goodes, Jolly, Malceski, O'Keefe, Playfair, Roberts-Thomson | Hall 5, Buchanan 2, Mattner 2, O'Loughlin 2, Goodes, Jolly, Malceski, O'Keefe, Playfair, Roberts-Thomson |
| Bate, Dunn, Green, Johnson, Garland, Johnson | Bate, Dunn, Green, Johnson, Garland, Johnson | Best | Hall, Kirk Mattner, Jolly, Bolton, O'Loughlin | Hall, Kirk Mattner, Jolly, Bolton, O'Loughlin |
| Brownlow Votes: 1. Matthew Bate (Melbourne), 2. Barry Hall (Sydney), 3. Brett Kirk (Sydney) Record: 1 Win, 12 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 14

| | Round 14 | Round 14 | Round 14 | | |
| Sunday, 29 June (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Brisbane Lions | MCG (crowd: 23,278) | |
| | 5.4 (34) 6.6 (42) 10.8 (68) 14.9 (93) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 5.9 (39) 9.13 (67) 13.14 (92) | Umpires: Head, Armstrong, Jeffery Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Head, Armstrong, Jeffery Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Sylvia 4, Miller 4, Wonaeamirri 2, Bruce 2, Bate, Green | Sylvia 4, Miller 4, Wonaeamirri 2, Bruce 2, Bate, Green | Goals | Brown 5, Bradshaw 4, Hooper 2, Patfull, Rischitelli | Brown 5, Bradshaw 4, Hooper 2, Patfull, Rischitelli |
| Wheatley, Green, Johnson, Miller, Sylvia, Whelan, Jones | Wheatley, Green, Johnson, Miller, Sylvia, Whelan, Jones | Best | Power, Brown Rischitelli, Bradshaw, Black | Power, Brown Rischitelli, Bradshaw, Black |
| McLean (ankle) | McLean (ankle) | Injuries | Johnstone (hamstring) | Johnstone (hamstring) |
| A mark and goal in the goal square by Brad Miller followed by a charge up the ground with the ball from the half-back line by Austin Wonaeamirri allowed Melbourne to win its second game of the year by a point. After selling a home game to the Gabba against the Brisbane Lions each year for seven years, Melbourne would win its first game against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG since Round 18, 1998. For the first and only time in 2008, Melbourne players would collect all the Brownlow votes in a game. Colin Garland received the NAB AFL Rising Star nomitation for Round 14. Debut(s): Stefan Martin Brownlow Votes: 1. Chris Johnson (Melbourne), 2. Paul Wheatley (Melbourne), 3. Brad Green (Melbourne) Record: 2 Wins, 12 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 15

| | Round 15 | Round 15 | Round 15 | | |
| Sunday, 13 July (2:10 pm) | Western Bulldogs | def. | Melbourne | Telstra Dome (crowd: 27,446) | |
| | 3.2 (20) 7.4 (46) 12.7 (79) 14.11 (95) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.0 (6) 4.2 (26) 5.6 (36) 9.10 (64) | Umpires: Farmer, McLaren, Keating Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: Farmer, McLaren, Keating Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Akermanis 3, Minson 3, Eagleton 2, Giansiracusa 2, Hahn 2, Harbrow, Cross | Akermanis 3, Minson 3, Eagleton 2, Giansiracusa 2, Hahn 2, Harbrow, Cross | Goals | Miller 3, Green 2, Dunn, Johnson, Buckley, Newton | Miller 3, Green 2, Dunn, Johnson, Buckley, Newton |
| Cross, Boyd, Lake, Gilbee, Akermanis, Eagleton, Hill, Everitt | Cross, Boyd, Lake, Gilbee, Akermanis, Eagleton, Hill, Everitt | Best | Bruce, Garland, Johnson, Wheatley, Martin, Miller | Bruce, Garland, Johnson, Wheatley, Martin, Miller |
| Welsh (back) | Welsh (back) | Injuries | | |
| Brownlow Votes: 1. Lindsay Gilbee (Western Bulldogs), 2. Cameron Bruce (Melbourne), 3. Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs) Record: 2 Wins, 13 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 16

| | Round 16 | Round 16 | Round 16 | | |
| Sunday, 20 July (2:40 pm) | Fremantle | def. | Melbourne | Subiaco (crowd: 31,638) | |
| | 0.2 (2) 5.9 (39) 11.15 (81) 16.18 (114) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.1 (31) 6.3 (39) 7.5 (47) 10.8 (68) | Umpires: Kennedy, Hendrie, Avon Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Kennedy, Hendrie, Avon Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Pavlich 5, McPharlin 3, Ibbotson, Schammer, Carr, McManus, O'Brien, Sandilands, Tarrant, Peake | Pavlich 5, McPharlin 3, Ibbotson, Schammer, Carr, McManus, O'Brien, Sandilands, Tarrant, Peake | Goals | Morton 2, Miller 2, Bate 2, Newton 2, Johnson, Jamar | Morton 2, Miller 2, Bate 2, Newton 2, Johnson, Jamar |
| Pavlich, Schammer, Ibbotson, Crowley, McPharlin, McManus | Pavlich, Schammer, Ibbotson, Crowley, McPharlin, McManus | Best | Johnson, Wheatley, Buckley, Bruce, Bate, Jones | Johnson, Wheatley, Buckley, Bruce, Bate, Jones |
| O'Brien (hamstring) | O'Brien (hamstring) | Injuries | | |
| Brownlow Votes: 1. Michael Johnson (Fremantle), 2. Antoni Grover (Fremantle), 3. Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle) Record: 2 Wins, 14 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 17

| | Round 17 | Round 17 | Round 17 | | |
| Sunday, 27 July (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | North Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 21,330) | |
| | 1.3 (9) 3.4 (22) 6.8 (44) 10.10 (70) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 7.3 (45) 9.6 (60) 11.9 (75) 14.14 (98) | Umpires: McLaren, Fila, Hendrie, Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: McLaren, Fila, Hendrie, Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Miller 3, Newton 2, Davey, Valenti, Johnson, Sylvia, Morton | Miller 3, Newton 2, Davey, Valenti, Johnson, Sylvia, Morton | Goals | Thomas 5, Jones 4, Harvey 2, Petrie, Hale, Campbell | Thomas 5, Jones 4, Harvey 2, Petrie, Hale, Campbell |
| Buckley, Jones, Valenti, Davey, McDonald, Johnson | Buckley, Jones, Valenti, Davey, McDonald, Johnson | Best | Harvey, Hale, Jones, Thomas, Gibson, Simpson, Rawlings | Harvey, Hale, Jones, Thomas, Gibson, Simpson, Rawlings |
| Dunn (striking) | Dunn (striking) | Reports | | |
| Debut(s): Addam Maric Brownlow Votes: 1. Simon Buckley (Melbourne), 2. Adam Simpson (North Melbourne), 3. Brent Harvey (North Melbourne) Record: 2 Wins, 15 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 18

| | Round 18 | Round 18 | Round 18 | | |
| Saturday, 2 August (2:10 pm) | Essendon | def. | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 46,334) | |
| | 3.1 (19) 9.6 (60) 14.8 (92) 19.10 (124) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.2 (14) 7.3 (45) 11.5 (71) 17.6 (108) | Umpires: Kennedy, Sully, Fila Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Kennedy, Sully, Fila Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Lloyd 8, Monfries 3, McPhee 2, Lovett 2, Atkinson, Reimers, Slattery, Jetta | Lloyd 8, Monfries 3, McPhee 2, Lovett 2, Atkinson, Reimers, Slattery, Jetta | Goals | Morton 3, Sylvia 3, Maric 2, Bate 2, Bartram, Green, Buckley, Davey, Johnson, Jamar, Wonaeamirri | Morton 3, Sylvia 3, Maric 2, Bate 2, Bartram, Green, Buckley, Davey, Johnson, Jamar, Wonaeamirri |
| Lloyd, Hille, Monfries, Fletcher, McPhee, Peverill, Lovett-Murray, Nash | Lloyd, Hille, Monfries, Fletcher, McPhee, Peverill, Lovett-Murray, Nash | Best | McDonald, Sylvia, Morton, Garland, Dunn, Bate, Bruce | McDonald, Sylvia, Morton, Garland, Dunn, Bate, Bruce |
| Reimers (hamstring) | Reimers (hamstring) | Injuries | Garland (hamstring), Davey (heel) | Garland (hamstring), Davey (heel) |
| Matthew Lloyd took the 2008 Mark of the Year in this match leaping over Brad Green, Matthew Warnock and Sam Lonergan to do so. Brownlow Votes: 1. Adam McPhee (Essendon), 2. Cale Morton (Melbourne), 3. Matthew Lloyd (Essendon) Record: 2 Wins, 16 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 19

| | Round 19 | Round 19 | Round 19 | | |
| Friday, 8 August (7:05 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Geelong | MCG (crowd: 34,610) | |
| | 0.0 (0) 1.3 (9) 2.6 (18) 5.11 (41) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 8.5 (53) 12.7 (79) 19.10 (124) 24.13 (157) | Umpires: Donlon, Kennedy, Ryan Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: Donlon, Kennedy, Ryan Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Valenti 2, Johnson, Johnson, Wonaeamirri | Valenti 2, Johnson, Johnson, Wonaeamirri | Goals | Morton 4, Stokes 4, Prismall 3, Ablett 2, Bartel 2, Ling 2, Mackie 2, Blake, Gamble, Johnson, Mooney, Selwood | Morton 4, Stokes 4, Prismall 3, Ablett 2, Bartel 2, Ling 2, Mackie 2, Blake, Gamble, Johnson, Mooney, Selwood |
| Whelan, Wheatley, Maric, Martin | Whelan, Wheatley, Maric, Martin | Best | Mackie, Ling, Selwood, Corey, Scarlett, Prismall | Mackie, Ling, Selwood, Corey, Scarlett, Prismall |
| This match kicked off Tom Wills Round. Tom Wills was regarded as one of the pioneers of writing the rules to Australian Rules Football as well as creating and being the very first captain of the Melbourne Football Club in 1858. He also played a majority of Australian Rules Football games for Geelong as one of their first ever players. This match commemorated the 150th anniversary of the first ever game of Australian Rules Football contested between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School on 7 August 1858, in the Richmond Paddock. To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Australian Rules Football a match was contested between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School as pre-game entertainment to the clash between Melbourne and Geelong. This match begun half an hour earlier than the usual Friday Night Football starting time of 7:40 PM and was broadcast live across Australia. This was to prevent it from clashing with the Opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics which was also broadcast by Channel 7. In cold and wet conditions, Melbourne was inflicted with its heaviest loss for the season (116 points) and at the time the second worst loss to Geelong in VFL/AFL history before Round 19, 2011 where Geelong thrashed Melbourne by 186 points. Brownlow Votes: 1. Joel Corey (Geelong), 2. Joel Selwood (Geelong), 3. Andrew Mackie (Geelong) Record: 2 Wins, 17 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 20

| | Round 20 | Round 20 | Round 20 | | |
| Saturday, 16 August (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | West Coast | MCG (crowd: 17,598) | |
| | 1.3 (9) 5.7 (37) 8.12 (60) 11.13 (79) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.2 (14) 4.5 (29) 5.10 (40) 5.15 (45) | Umpires: Ryan, Ellis, Nicholls Television broadcast: Network Ten | Umpires: Ryan, Ellis, Nicholls Television broadcast: Network Ten |
| Bruce 2, Newton 2, Bartram, Bate, Green, Johnson, Miller, Morton, Sylvia | Bruce 2, Newton 2, Bartram, Bate, Green, Johnson, Miller, Morton, Sylvia | Goals | McKinley 2, Armstrong, LeCras, Lynch | McKinley 2, Armstrong, LeCras, Lynch |
| Bruce, Wheatley, Morton, Green, McDonald, Whelan, Buckley, Jones | Bruce, Wheatley, Morton, Green, McDonald, Whelan, Buckley, Jones | Best | Armstrong, Cox, Embley, Mackenzie | Armstrong, Cox, Embley, Mackenzie |
| | | Injuries | Wilkes (neck) | Wilkes (neck) |
| Despite the West Coast Eagles kicking 3 early goals in the second quarter, Melbourne would bounce back and win their third and final game of the season comfortably in cold and rainy conditions. Melbourne would concede only one goal in the second half to obtain their greatest winning margin for the season (34 points). Melbourne would win its first game against West Coast since Round 7, 2004. Cale Morton received the NAB AFL Rising Star nomitation for Round 20. Brownlow Votes: 1. Dean Cox (West Coast), 2. Cale Morton (Melbourne), 3. Paul Wheatley (Melbourne) Record: 3 Wins, 17 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 21

| | Round 21 | Round 21 | Round 21 | | |
| Saturday, 23 August (2:40 pm) | Port Adelaide | def. | Melbourne | AAMI Stadium (crowd: 18,875) | |
| | 6.6 (42) 9.10 (64) 10.17 (77) 18.21 (129) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.0 (6) 2.4 (16) 4.8 (32) 7.9 (51) | Umpires: Margetts, Head, Keating Television broadcast: Foxtel | Umpires: Margetts, Head, Keating Television broadcast: Foxtel |
| Motlop 5, Westhoff 2, Westhoff 2, Lade 2, Burgoyne 2, Pearce 2, Rodan, Cassisi, Boak | Motlop 5, Westhoff 2, Westhoff 2, Lade 2, Burgoyne 2, Pearce 2, Rodan, Cassisi, Boak | Goals | Miller 2, Bruce, Bate, Wonaeamirri, Jamar, Newton | Miller 2, Bruce, Bate, Wonaeamirri, Jamar, Newton |
| Burgoyne, Burgoyne, Cassisi, Motlop, Logan, Brogan, Pearce | Burgoyne, Burgoyne, Cassisi, Motlop, Logan, Brogan, Pearce | Best | Wheatley, Buckley, McDonald, Garland, Morton | Wheatley, Buckley, McDonald, Garland, Morton |
| Chaplin (knee) | Chaplin (knee) | Injuries | | |
| Brownlow Votes: 1. Shaun Burgoyne (Port Adelaide), 2. Daniel Motlop (Port Adelaide), 3. Domenic Cassisi (Port Adelaide) Record: 3 Wins, 18 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

#### Round 22

| | Round 22 | Round 22 | Round 22 | | |
| Sunday, 31 August (2:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Richmond | MCG (crowd: 37,046) | |
| | 2.1 (13) 3.1 (19) 4.4 (28) 6.5 (41) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.5 (17) 8.9 (57) 12.10 (82) 18.13 (121) | Umpires: Margetts, Ryan, Ellis Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: Margetts, Ryan, Ellis Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| White 2, Green, Holland, Sylvia, Whelan | White 2, Green, Holland, Sylvia, Whelan | Goals | Deledio 4, Bowden 3, Jackson 2, Riewoldt 2, Connors, Foley, McMahon, Morton, Tivendale, Tuck, White | Deledio 4, Bowden 3, Jackson 2, Riewoldt 2, Connors, Foley, McMahon, Morton, Tivendale, Tuck, White |
| Yze, Whelan, Bruce, Warnock, Garland | Yze, Whelan, Bruce, Warnock, Garland | Best | Bowden, Tuck, Newman, Deledio, Foley, McGuane, Johnson, McMahon | Bowden, Tuck, Newman, Deledio, Foley, McGuane, Johnson, McMahon |
| Sylvia (ankle), Petterd (hamstring) | Sylvia (ankle), Petterd (hamstring) | Injuries | Connors | Connors |
| Miller (wrestling) | Miller (wrestling) | Reports | Morton (wrestling) | Morton (wrestling) |
| Melbourne would finish the year on the bottom of the ladder with 3 wins and 19 losses. Ben Holland, Jeff White and Adem Yze played their last AFL game in this match and retired straight afterwards. Debut(s): Jack Grimes Milestone(s): Nathan Jones (50th AFL game) Brownlow Votes: 1. Shane Tuck (Richmond), 2. Brett Deledio (Richmond), 3. Joel Bowden (Richmond) Record: 3 Wins, 19 Losses, 0 Draws Ladder Position: 16th ||||||

## Ladder

2008 AFL ladder :
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | |
| 1 | Geelong | 22 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2672 | 1651 | 161.8 | 84 | Finals series |
| 2 | Hawthorn (P) | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 2434 | 1846 | 131.9 | 68 | Finals series |
| 3 | Western Bulldogs | 22 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 2506 | 2112 | 118.7 | 62 | Finals series |
| 4 | St Kilda | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2126 | 1923 | 110.6 | 52 | Finals series |
| 5 | Adelaide | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2017 | 1838 | 109.7 | 52 | Finals series |
| 6 | Sydney | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2095 | 1863 | 112.5 | 50 | Finals series |
| 7 | North Melbourne | 22 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2121 | 2187 | 97.0 | 50 | Finals series |
| 8 | Collingwood | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2267 | 2038 | 111.2 | 48 | Finals series |
| 9 | Richmond | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 2228 | 2288 | 97.4 | 46 | |
| 10 | Brisbane | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2156 | 2200 | 98.0 | 40 | |
| 11 | Carlton | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 2217 | 2354 | 94.2 | 40 | |
| 12 | Essendon | 22 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 2130 | 2608 | 81.7 | 32 | |
| 13 | Port Adelaide | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 2118 | 2208 | 95.9 | 28 | |
| 14 | Fremantle | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1988 | 2121 | 93.7 | 24 | |
| 15 | West Coast | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1670 | 2535 | 65.9 | 16 | |
| 16 | Melbourne | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 1629 | 2602 | 62.6 | 12 | |

### Ladder breakdown by opposition

| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | Drew | Premiership points | Points for | Points against | Percentage (%) |
| West Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 79 | 45 | 175.56 |
| Fremantle | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 187 | 227 | 82.38 |
| Brisbane Lions | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 179 | 230 | 77.83 |
| Essendon | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 124 | 87.10 |
| Collingwood | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 95 | 116 | 81.90 |
| Carlton | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 101 | 67.33 |
| North Melbourne | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 225 | 66.22 |
| Sydney | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 114 | 64.91 |
| Richmond | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 237 | 56.96 |
| Hawthorn | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 128 | 251 | 51.00 |
| Western Bulldogs | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 130 | 256 | 50.78 |
| Adelaide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 150 | 49.33 |
| Geelong | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 123 | 269 | 45.72 |
| Port Adelaide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 129 | 39.53 |
| St Kilda | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 129 | 38.76 |
| Total | 22 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 1629 | 2601 | 62.61 |

## Awards
### Brownlow Medal tally

| Player | 1 vote games | 2 vote games | 3 vote games | Total votes |
| Paul Wheatley | 0 | 1 | 1 | (5) |
| Brock McLean | 2 | 0 | 1 | (5) |
| Cale Morton | 0 | 2 | 0 | (4) |
| Brad Green | 1 | 0 | 0 | (3) |
| Cameron Bruce | 0 | 1 | 0 | (2) |
| Chris Johnson | 1 | 0 | 0 | (1) |
| Jeff White | 1 | 0 | 0 | (1) |
| Adem Yze | 1 | 0 | 0 | (1) |
| Matthew Bate | 1 | 0 | 0 | (1) |
| Simon Buckley | 1 | 0 | 0 | (1) |
| Total | 7 | 4 | 3 | (24) |

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

| Position | Player | Votes |
| 1st | Cameron Bruce | (75) |
| 2nd | Brock McLean | (60) |
| 3rd | Brad Green | (57) |
| 4th | Matthew Warnock | (47) |
| 5th | James McDonald | (46) |
| 6th | Brad Miller | (40) |
| 6th | Cale Morton | (40) |
| 8th | Clint Bartram | (39) |
| 8th | Paul Wheatley | (39) |
| 8th | Austin Wonaeamirri | (39) |
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy – Cameron Bruce
Sid Anderson Memorial Trophy (Second in the Best and Fairest) – Brock McLean
Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy (Third in the Best and Fairest) – Brad Green
Ivor Warne-Smith Memorial Trophy (Fourth in the Best and Fairest) – Matthew Warnock
Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy (Fifth in the Best and Fairest) – James McDonald
Harold Ball Memorial Trophy (Best First Year Player) – Cale Morton
Troy Broadbridge Trophy (highest polling MFC player in the Casey Best and Fairest) – Adem Yze
Ron Barassi Leadership Award – Brad Green
Ian Ridley Club Ambassador Award – Clint Bartram
Norm Smith Memorial Trophy (Coach's Award) – Matthew Warnock
Leading Goalkicker Award – Brad Miller (26)

## 150 Heroes

Melbourne FC announced its "150 Heroes" to celebrate its 150th birthday at Crown Casino on 7 June 2008. These were also presented during the Queen's Birthday Clash against Collingwood in Round 11. Each player, or their closest relative, were presented with an official 150 heroes medallion.
The criteria for inclusion was games played (minimum of 100), best-and-fairest awards, premierships, Brownlow Medals, contribution to the club and State representation. Those who died in the war were judged based on their achievements before their death. The heroes named were:
Jim Abernethy, Frank Adams, Bill Allen, Stan Alves, Syd Anderson, Tony Anderson, Lance Arnold, Ron Baggott, Garry Baker, Harold Ball, Ron Barassi, Percy Beames, John Beckwith, George Bickford, Ray Biffin, Barry Bourke, Harry Brereton, Cameron Bruce, Keith Carroll, Geoff Case, Albert Chadwick, Noel Clarke, Geoff Collins, Jack Collins, Chris Connolly, Bob Corbett, Denis Cordner, Don Cordner, Ted Cordner, Vin Coutie, Harry Coy, Jim Davidson, Frank Davis, Ross Dillon, Carl Ditterich, Brian Dixon, Len Dockett, Adrian Dullard, Hugh Dunbar, Richie Emselle, Fred Fanning, Jeff Farmer, Matthew Febey, Steven Febey, Dick Fenton-Smith, Rowley Fischer, Robert Flower, Laurie Fowler, Maurice Gibb, Peter Giles, Terry Gleeson, Brad Green, Rod Grinter, George Haines, Gary Hardeman, Henry Harrison, Gerard Healy, Greg Healy, Dick Hingston, Paul Hopgood, Danny Hughes, Anthony Ingerson, Eddie Jackson, Alan Johnson, Bob Johnson, Tassie Johnson, Trevor Johnson, Travis Johnstone, Gordon Jones, Les Jones, Bryan Kenneally, Allan La Fontaine, Clyde Laidlaw, Frank Langley, Jack Leith, Andrew Leoncelli, Charlie Lilley, Wally Lock, Harry Long, John Lord, Andy Lovell, Brett Lovett, Glenn Lovett, Garry Lyon, Hassa Mann, George Margitich, Peter Marquis, Bernie Massey, Anthony McDonald, James McDonald, Fred McGinis, Shane McGrath, Bob McKenzie, Col McLean, Ian McLean, Noel McMahen, Ken Melville, Laurie Mithen, Peter Moore, Jack Mueller, David Neitz, Stephen Newport, Jack O'Keefe, Andrew Obst, Gordon Ogden, Greg Parke, Joe Pearce, Jack Purse, Ian Ridley, Guy Rigoni, Frank Roberts, Russell Robertson, Alby Rodda, Brian Roet, Peter Rohde, Alan Rowarth, David Schwarz, Norm Smith, Steven Smith, Earl Spalding, Stuart Spencer, Charlie Streeter, Steven Stretch, Jim Stynes, Tony Sullivan, Dick Taylor, Ted Thomas, Ian Thorogood, Stephen Tingay, John Townsend, Keith Truscott, Geoff Tunbridge, Bill Tymms, Barrie Vagg, Francis Vine, Todd Viney, Ivor Warne-Smith, Ray Wartman, Athol Webb, Greg Wells, Jeff White, Sean Wight, Don Williams, Brian Wilson, Stan Wittman, Shane Woewodin, Graeme Yeats, Charlie Young, Adem Yze

## Off-field crises and debt demolition

Aside from Melbourne's on-field struggles throughout the year, they were also placed into financial turmoil and the possibility of filing for bankruptcy.
On 4 February, CEO Steve Harris announced his resignation after reportedly cutting Melbourne's pre-existing debt by 50% and increasing membership sales by 40% since 2003. He was later replaced by former Wimbledon tennis champion Paul McNamee on 18 March, despite the fact that McNamee did not originally apply for the job.
With no cash, no solidified training or administration base and decreased membership count from 2007, the Demons found themselves winning only one game in the first half of the season. On 23 May, Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett suggested that Melbourne should relocate to the Gold Coast if they were to have a financially stable future. Melbourne was expected to lose $1–2 million during the year and put their near future as an existing football club in doubt.
Melbourne had little to celebrate heading into their 150 Heroes dinner on 7 June, during which Jim Stynes announced his intention to challenge Paul Gardiner's role as Melbourne's president. Two days later, before the Queen's Birthday clash, Gardiner announced his resignation as Melbourne's president, and endorsed Stynes to take over. On 12 June, Stynes was announced as the new president of the Melbourne Football Club and announced his primary intention to wipe off Melbourne's debt. Three days later he announced that Melbourne was $4.5 million in debt and that he would create a campaign called Debt Demolition to wipe off the debt. The campaign took place during August, beginning on 5 August during the 150 Foundation Heroes dinner. Guests and supporters were asked to dig deep and donate at least $5,000 to be considered a 150 Foundation Hero.
During June, Melbourne had a late surge in membership purchases for 2008. On 30 June, Melbourne successfully increased their membership count from 2007 gaining a record high 29,619 members at the time and falling just short of their goal of 30,000.
On 23 July, Stynes sacked Paul McNamee as CEO of the club. During his time as CEO, NcNamee was criticised for taking a mid-season holiday to England to play in a Wimbledon doubles match. He was also criticised for trying to lure Brisbane Lions' forward Jonathan Brown to Melbourne. Stynes stated, however, that the main reason he was sacked was his lack of a football background.
Melbourne held its 150 Foundation Heroes dinner on 5 August where they launched their Debt Demolition campaign. Melbourne raised $1.3 million from former players and supporters that night. At the end of the month the club had raised up to $3 million. Despite all the donations Melbourne received, their major sponsor Primus Telecom announced that it would not continue its $1 million per year arrangements with the club in 2009.
On 26 August, Melbourne announced Cameron Schwab as their new CEO. Schwab left his role of CEO at Fremantle and re-joined Melbourne for the third time since 1982.
On 18 December, the AFL agreed to increase Melbourne's 2009 from $250,000 to $1 million, with the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) contracted to match the AFL's offer. However, financial disagreements between the MCC and AFL prevented them from co-funding all Victorian clubs temporarily until an agreement was worked out on 20 December.
Melbourne finished the year $2.5 million in debt. They continued with the Debt Demolition campaign in August 2009, finishing the year with a debt of $1.5 million, and in August 2010. On 5 August 2010 Melbourne clear all of its $4.5 million debt as Jim Stynes announced the club to be debt free for the first time in 30 years.