# 2015 Melbourne Football Club season

The 2015 Melbourne Football Club season was the club's 116th year in the VFL/AFL since it began in 1897.
Despite improvements in 2014, Melbourne still produced a poor season in regards to results, which led to Melbourne receiving a financially and commercially challenging draw. The club played home games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground against Gold Coast, Fremantle, Sydney, Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions, St Kilda, and North Melbourne whom typically do not draw high crowds in Melbourne, and played Collingwood, Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda and Western Bulldogs twice. Games were broadcast on the Seven Network (free to air) for seven games, down from nine in 2014.
Even with financial and commercial challenges, the club continued to host its annual Queen's Birthday clash against Collingwood in round 10 and played its first Friday night game since round 7, 2012, which was against Richmond in round 4 as a lead into ANZAC day. The club also played more traditional time slots, as the AFL aimed to have a more 'fan friendly' fixture, with seventeen day games (up from twelve), two twilight matches (down from five) and three at night (down from five). In addition, the club played 17 matches in Victoria, and traveled to Adelaide, Canberra, and Perth once, and the Northern Territory twice.
Melbourne sold two of its home games to the Northern Territory due to a sponsorship deal made with Tourism NT. One was at TIO Traeger Park in Alice Springs in round 9 against Port Adelaide for the second year in a row. The other match was at TIO Stadium in Darwin for the sixth year in a row, which was against West Coast in round 14. In addition Melbourne hosted Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium in round 23.
The club finished the season with 7 wins and 15 losses, this was the club's best result since the 2011 season.

## 2015 list changes
### 2014 free agency

| Player | Date | Free agent type | Former club | New club | Compensation |
| James Frawley | 6 October 2014 | Unrestricted | Melbourne | Hawthorn | 1st round |
| Sam Blease | 3 November 2014 | Delisted | Melbourne | Geelong | None |
| Ben Newton | 5 November 2014 | Delisted | Port Adelaide | Melbourne | None |

### 2014 trades

| Date | Trade gained | Traded from | Trade lost |
| Jeff Garlett Pick 83 | 9 October 2014 | Carlton | Pick 61 Pick 79 |
| Heritier Lumumba | 15 October 2014 | Collingwood | Mitch Clark (involved in a 3-way deal with Geelong) |
| Sam Frost Pick 40 Pick 53 | 16 October 2014 | Greater Western Sydney | Pick 23 |

### Retirements and delistings

| Player | New club | League | Reason |
| Shannon Byrnes | Casey Scorpions | VFL | Retired, but stayed as a development coach |
| Sam Blease | Geelong | AFL | Delisted |
| Mitch Clisby | North Adelaide | SANFL | Delisted |
| Michael Evans | Old Scotch | VAFA | Delisted |
| Alex Georgiou | Norwood | SANFL | Delisted |
| Daniel Nicholson | Port Fairy | Hampden Football League | Delisted |
| James Strauss | Old Scotch | VAFA | Delisted |
| Luke Tapscott | Sorrento | MPNFL | Delisted |
| Dom Barry | NT Thunder | NEAFL | Returned to Central Australia |
| Maia Westrupp | unknown | unknown | Returned to New Zealand |

### National draft

| Round | Overall pick | Player | Position | Team from | League from |
| 1 | 2 | Christian Petracca | Midfielder | Eastern Ranges | TAC Cup |
| 1 | 3 | Angus Brayshaw | Midfielder | Sandringham | TAC Cup |
| 2 | 40 | Alex Neal-Bullen | Midfielder | Glenelg | SANFL |
| 3 | 42 (F/S) | Billy Stretch | Midfielder | Glenelg | SANFL |
| 3 | 53 | Oscar McDonald | Defender | North Ballarat | TAC Cup |

### Rookie draft

| Round | Overall pick | Player | State | Position | Team from | League from | Ref |
| 1 | 2 | Aaron vandenBerg | | Midfielder | Ainslie | NEAFL | |
| 2 | 20 | Mitch White | | Defender | Dandenong | TAC Cup | |

## 2015 season
### Pre-season
#### NAB Challenge
##### Week 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | | |
| Thursday, March 5 (4:10 pm) | Fremantle | def. | Melbourne | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8000 approx.) | Report |
| | 3.2 (20) 7.4 (46) 7.5 (47) 9.7 (61) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.1 (19) 3.2 (20) 6.6 (42) 6.7 (43) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Pavlich 3, Taberner 3, Crozier, Walters, Mayne | Pavlich 3, Taberner 3, Crozier, Walters, Mayne | Goals | Newton, Dawes, N. Jones, Kent, Hogan, vandenBerg | Newton, Dawes, N. Jones, Kent, Hogan, vandenBerg |
| Hill, Taberner, Neale, Pavlich, Mzungu, Sutcliffe | Hill, Taberner, Neale, Pavlich, Mzungu, Sutcliffe | Best | N. Jones, Lumumba, Tyson, Cross, T. McDonald, Newton | N. Jones, Lumumba, Tyson, Cross, T. McDonald, Newton |
| Barlow (right ankle), Mundy (ankle), Duffield (left shoulder) | Barlow (right ankle), Mundy (ankle), Duffield (left shoulder) | Injuries | Newton (cut head) | Newton (cut head) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| The opening quarter was positive for Melbourne with a courageous mark and goal to Ben Newton, followed by goals to Chris Dawes and Nathan Jones, which saw them lead by 13 points midway through the quarter. Melbourne were notably more attacking compared with 2014 with faster ball movement and using the corridor more, however, Fremantle took the lead into the quarter break by one point. The second quarter saw Fremantle kick four goals to nil as their defensive pressure proved too strong for Melbourne. They were restricted to one point, and there was little ball movement with no signs of improvement heading into the second half. The third quarter showed a rejuvenated Melbourne, as they kicked three goals to nil. Fremantle had not seen the ball inside their forward 50 for much of the quarter, as they could only manage one point, resulting in a five point margin at the final break. Four minutes into the final quarter, Melbourne had a chance to take the lead with a free kick to Mark Jamar 20 meters out. The shot was kicked out on the full, the resulting free kick was then kicked into the opposite behind post by Cameron Sutcliffe, allowing for Christian Salem to have a shot on goal, which was too kicked out on the full. Fremantle took control over the match and kicked the last two goals of the match, ensuing in an 18 point victory. ||||||

##### Week 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | | |
| Saturday, March 14 (4:10 pm) | Western Bulldogs | def. by | Melbourne | Eureka Stadium (crowd: 6000 approx.) | Report |
| | 0.0.1 (1) 0.1.1 (7) 0.4.4 (28) 0.9.8 (62) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.2.2 (14) 0.8.4 (52) 0.9.6 (60) 0.10.9 (69) | Television broadcast: AFL Media | Television broadcast: AFL Media |
| Cordy 2, Grant, Bontempelli, Goodes, Minson, M. Boyd, Jong | Cordy 2, Grant, Bontempelli, Goodes, Minson, M. Boyd, Jong | Goals | Garlett 2, Kennedy Harris 2, Cross, Hogan, Dawes, N. Jones, Frost, Watts | Garlett 2, Kennedy Harris 2, Cross, Hogan, Dawes, N. Jones, Frost, Watts |
| Honeychurch, M. Boyd, Bontempelli, Goodes, Minson, Stringer | Honeychurch, M. Boyd, Bontempelli, Goodes, Minson, Stringer | Best | Kennedy Harris, Garlett, N. Jones, Grimes, Cross, Salem, Lumumba | Kennedy Harris, Garlett, N. Jones, Grimes, Cross, Salem, Lumumba |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | vandenBerg (head) | vandenBerg (head) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| The second week of the NAB Challenge saw Melbourne travel to Ballarat where they started strongly by kicking two goals to nil in the first quarter, whilst kicking into the wind. The second quarter saw Melbourne kick a further six goals, to have a lead of forty-five points at half time. The opening half saw Melbourne dominate the possession count (128-42) and uncontested marks (58-4). Turnovers by the Western Bulldogs contributed to Melbourne's ascendancy, however, the dominance ceased as the Bulldogs fought back in the second half. The final quarter saw the Bulldogs get to within eight points at the 20-minute mark after an Ayce Cordy goal, however, Melbourne managed to settle and win by an eventual seven point margin. ||||||

##### Week 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | | |
| Friday, March 20 (5:50 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Essendon | Etihad Stadium | Report |
| | 0.2.4 (16) 0.5.7 (37) 0.9.8 (62) 0.11.9 (75) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.2.1 (13) 0.6.1 (37) 0.9.8 (62) 0.11.11 (77) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Garlett 4, vandenBerg 2, Dawes 2, Watts 2, Viney | Garlett 4, vandenBerg 2, Dawes 2, Watts 2, Viney | Goals | Daniher 3, Fantasia 2, Dalgleish 2, J. Merrett, Langford, Zaharakis, Edwards | Daniher 3, Fantasia 2, Dalgleish 2, J. Merrett, Langford, Zaharakis, Edwards |
| Lumumba, Tyson, Garlett, Salem, N. Jones, vandenBerg | Lumumba, Tyson, Garlett, Salem, N. Jones, vandenBerg | Best | Cooney, Goddard, Chapman, Gwilt, Ashby, Daniher | Cooney, Goddard, Chapman, Gwilt, Ashby, Daniher |
| Newton (leg) | Newton (leg) | Injuries | Laverde (knee) | Laverde (knee) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Melbourne faced a severely under-strength Essendon due to the 2012-listed players sitting out the NAB Challenge due to the 2012 supplement program. The trend of fast starts during the NAB challenge continued for Melbourne, where they kicked the first two goals and gained a 14-point lead during the 14th minute of the first quarter. The 14-point margin would be the highest lead for either side during the match, and the back-and-forth match saw the lead change seven times. Melbourne looked set to win the match as they took control over the last quarter and gained a two goal margin, however, a goal by Shaun Edwards drew Essendon to within four points. The last few minutes of the match saw Melbourne control the possession, however, a crucial turnover by Jack Viney eventuated as he attempted to kick across defensive goal, where Lauchlan Dalgleish intercepted the kick and ran on to kick a goal. This led to a two-point lead for Essendon with 1:24 left on the clock, and was the ultimate winning margin for Essendon. ||||||

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

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | | |
| Saturday, 4 April (1:40 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Gold Coast | MCG (crowd: 27,013) | Report |
| | 2.5 (17) 7.7 (49) 12.9 (81) 17.13 (115) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.2 (8) 3.6 (24) 8.8 (56) 13.11 (89) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Watts 3, Tyson 2, Garlett 2, Hogan 2, Newton 2, Jamar, Garland, N. Jones, vandenBerg, Lumumba, Salem | Watts 3, Tyson 2, Garlett 2, Hogan 2, Newton 2, Jamar, Garland, N. Jones, vandenBerg, Lumumba, Salem | Goals | Day 2, Rischitelli 2, Ablett 2, Sexton, Saad, Swallow, Gorringe, Bennell, Miller, Harbrow | Day 2, Rischitelli 2, Ablett 2, Sexton, Saad, Swallow, Gorringe, Bennell, Miller, Harbrow |
| N. Jones, Watts, T. McDonald, Viney, Garlett, Newton, Howe, vandenBerg, Jamar | N. Jones, Watts, T. McDonald, Viney, Garlett, Newton, Howe, vandenBerg, Jamar | Best | Prestia, Rischitelli, Swallow, Bennell, Saad | Prestia, Rischitelli, Swallow, Bennell, Saad |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Matt Shaw reported for rough conduct on Dean Kent | Matt Shaw reported for rough conduct on Dean Kent |
| The lead up to the opening match for Melbourne and Gold Coast in 2015 focused heavily on the long-awaited return of Gary Ablett from a shoulder injury sustained in round 16, 2014. The match saw three AFL debutants for Melbourne, Angus Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, and Aaron vandenBerg, and four debuts for Melbourne from other clubs, Sam Frost, Jeff Garlett, Heritier Lumumba, and Ben Newton. The debut for Lumumba also marked his 200th AFL match, after playing 199 for Collingwood. Melbourne showed that they were a much more attacking side compared with 2014 when the side averaged just over 60 points a match; the additions of Jesse Hogan and Jeff Garlett showed a more potent forward line as the ball was moved into the forward line more directly and they kicked two goals apiece. Melbourne led comfortably for most of the match, however, two quick goals to Gary Ablett drew Gold Coast to within eight points in the last quarter. Another certain goal for the Gold Coast was looming, however, an uncharacteristic fumble by Ablett in the goal square created a turnover and Melbourne wrestled back the momentum. Melbourne were eventual winners by 26 points. The game was the first time that Melbourne had won a round one match since 2005, and the first time they kicked more than 100 points in a match since round 14, 2013. Debut(s): Angus Brayshaw, Jesse Hogan, Aaron vandenBerg Debut(s) for MFC: Sam Frost (Greater Western Sydney), Jeff Garlett (Carlton), Heritier Lumumba (Collingwood), Ben Newton (Port Adelaide) Milestone(s): Heritier Lumumba (200th AFL game), Jesse Hogan (1st AFL goal), Ben Newton (1st AFL goal), Aaron vandenBerg (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 3 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 2 votes, Dion Prestia (Gold Coast) 1 vote Record: 1 win, 0 losses, 0 draws (129.21%) Ladder position: 4th Substitutes: Jimmy Toumpas Angus Brayshaw ||||||

#### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | | |
| Saturday, 11 April (2:10 pm) | Greater Western Sydney | def. | Melbourne | StarTrack Oval (crowd: 8,811) | Report |
| | 0.2 (2) 2.6 (18) 11.8 (74) 15.11 (101) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.2 (26) 7.3 (45) 7.6 (48) 8.8 (56) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| McCarthy 3, Shiel 3, Coniglio 2, Smith 2, Treloar, Wilson, Cameron, Scully, Mumford | McCarthy 3, Shiel 3, Coniglio 2, Smith 2, Treloar, Wilson, Cameron, Scully, Mumford | Goals | Hogan 2, Newton 2, T. McDonald, Kent, Jamar, Garlett | Hogan 2, Newton 2, T. McDonald, Kent, Jamar, Garlett |
| Coniglio, Kelly, Haynes, Greene, Shaw, Shiel | Coniglio, Kelly, Haynes, Greene, Shaw, Shiel | Best | T. McDonald, Viney, Salem, Cross, Tyson, Lumumba | T. McDonald, Viney, Salem, Cross, Tyson, Lumumba |
| Tomlinson (toe) | Tomlinson (toe) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Callan Ward (Greater Western Sydney) 3 votes, Shane Mumford (Greater Western Sydney) 2 votes, Stephen Coniglio (Greater Western Sydney) 1 vote Record: 1 win, 1 loss, 0 draws (90.00%) Ladder position: 13th Substitutes: Angus Brayshaw Bernie Vince ||||||

#### Round 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | | |
| Saturday, 18 April (1:40 pm) | Adelaide | def. | Melbourne | Adelaide Oval (crowd: 43,713) | Report |
| | 3.1 (19) 5.3 (33) 9.4 (58) 12.7 (80) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.4 (22) 4.6 (30) 6.9 (45) 7.13 (55) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Walker 3, Ellis-Yolmen 2, Cameron, Lynch, Jenkins, Mackay, Smith, Brown, Betts | Walker 3, Ellis-Yolmen 2, Cameron, Lynch, Jenkins, Mackay, Smith, Brown, Betts | Goals | Hogan 2, Garlett 2, Newton, N. Jones, Kent | Hogan 2, Garlett 2, Newton, N. Jones, Kent |
| Sloane, Mackay, Thompson, Jacobs, Douglas, Talia | Sloane, Mackay, Thompson, Jacobs, Douglas, Talia | Best | N. Jones, Lumumba, Howe, Vince, Cross, Tyson | N. Jones, Lumumba, Howe, Vince, Cross, Tyson |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Frost (foot) | Frost (foot) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Scott Thompson (Adelaide) 3 votes, Rory Sloane (Adelaide) 2 votes, David Mackay (Adelaide) 1 vote Record: 1 win, 2 losses, 0 draws (83.70%) Ladder position: 12th Substitutes: Angus Brayshaw Sam Frost ||||||

#### Round 4

| | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 4 | | |
| Friday, 24 April (7:50 pm) | Richmond | def. by | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 58,175) | Report |
| | 3.5 (23) 5.9 (39) 6.13 (49) 6.15 (51) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.2 (26) 6.5 (41) 10.9 (69) 12.11 (83) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Edwards 2, Gordon, Arnot, Griffiths, Hunt | Edwards 2, Gordon, Arnot, Griffiths, Hunt | Goals | Hogan 2, Dawes 2, Garlett 2, Kennedy Harris, Vandenberg, Watts, N. Jones, Brayshaw, Vince | Hogan 2, Dawes 2, Garlett 2, Kennedy Harris, Vandenberg, Watts, N. Jones, Brayshaw, Vince |
| Edwards, Ellis, Martin, Miles, Riewoldt, Cotchin | Edwards, Ellis, Martin, Miles, Riewoldt, Cotchin | Best | Vandenberg, Hogan, N. Jones, T. McDonald, Brayshaw, Tyson, Lumumba | Vandenberg, Hogan, N. Jones, T. McDonald, Brayshaw, Tyson, Lumumba |
| Drummond (right knee), Griffiths (calf), Hunt (right knee) | Drummond (right knee), Griffiths (calf), Hunt (right knee) | Injuries | Kent (left hamstring), Jetta (concussion) | Kent (left hamstring), Jetta (concussion) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| This was the Demons' first Friday night game in 3 years (an 11-goal loss to the Hawthorn in 2012), with the clubs' poor on-field performances meaning they hadn't been afforded a prime time spot. The game marked the beginning of the Anzac Day weekend and the commemoration of 100 years since Gallipoli. A tribute before the match saw the stadium lights blacked out as the Last Post played with a minutes silence. The match was close in the first-half, with a two-point margin at half-time, with the wet conditions making for a physical and contested match. Melbourne took control of the match in the second-half, resulting in a 32-point win. The off-season recruits were key to the victory, including mature-aged recruit, Aaron vandenBerg, who recorded 13 tackles and a goal. Melbourne's second pick in the 2014 AFL draft and third overall, Angus Brayshaw, also provided an impact with 12 disposals and a goal. Bernie Vince sealed the victory in the final term with a set shot from the 50-metre arc on a 45 degree angle. At 2-2 it was the best start for Melbourne since 2011 when they were 2-1-1 after a draw against Sydney and wins against Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast. Milestone(s): Angus Brayshaw (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 3 votes, Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 2 votes, Shane Edwards (Richmond) 1 vote Record: 2 wins, 2 losses, 0 draws (96.26%) Ladder position: 12th Substitutes: Viv Michie Dean Kent ||||||

#### Round 5

| | Round 5 | Round 5 | Round 5 | | |
| Sunday, 3 May (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Fremantle | MCG (crowd: 22,892) | Report |
| | 2.2 (14) 5.4 (34) 6.8 (44) 6.14 (50) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.3 (33) 8.6 (54) 11.8 (74) 18.10 (118) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Garlett 3, Hogan, vandenBerg, Brayshaw | Garlett 3, Hogan, vandenBerg, Brayshaw | Goals | Mayne 4, D. Pearce 2, Suban 2, Neale 2, Taberner 2, Mundy 2, Hill, de Boer, Fyfe, Sandilands | Mayne 4, D. Pearce 2, Suban 2, Neale 2, Taberner 2, Mundy 2, Hill, de Boer, Fyfe, Sandilands |
| Brayshaw, T. McDonald, Grimes, Garlett, Cross | Brayshaw, T. McDonald, Grimes, Garlett, Cross | Best | Fyfe, Mayne, Barlow, McPharlin, Neale, C. Pearce, Mundy, Suban | Fyfe, Mayne, Barlow, McPharlin, Neale, C. Pearce, Mundy, Suban |
| Salem (concussion) | Salem (concussion) | Injuries | Walters (concussion), Pavlich (concussion) | Walters (concussion), Pavlich (concussion) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Jack Watts (100th AFL game) Brownlow votes: Nat Fyfe (Fremantle) 3 votes, David Mundy (Fremantle) 2 votes, Chris Mayne (Fremantle) 1 vote Record: 2 wins, 3 losses, 0 draws (81.77%) Ladder position: 13th Substitutes: Jordie McKenzie Christian Salem ||||||

#### Round 6

| | Round 6 | Round 6 | Round 6 | | |
| Saturday, 9 May (7:20 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Sydney | MCG (crowd: 26,894) | Report |
| | 1.1 (7) 1.3 (9) 4.5 (29) 7.8 (50) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.3 (27) 7.7 (49) 11.9 (75) 12.16 (88) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Garlett 2, Hogan 2, Stretch, Newton, Dawes | Garlett 2, Hogan 2, Stretch, Newton, Dawes | Goals | Tippett 4, Kennedy 2, Pyke, McGlynn, Jetta, Hannebery, Parker, Goodes | Tippett 4, Kennedy 2, Pyke, McGlynn, Jetta, Hannebery, Parker, Goodes |
| T. McDonald, Salem, N. Jones, Hogan, Vince | T. McDonald, Salem, N. Jones, Hogan, Vince | Best | Mitchell, Kennedy, Tippett, Jack, Parker, Jetta, McVeigh | Mitchell, Kennedy, Tippett, Jack, Parker, Jetta, McVeigh |
| Dawes (knee), Tyson (knee) | Dawes (knee), Tyson (knee) | Injuries | Heeney (knee), Lloyd (ankle), Hannebery (ankle) | Heeney (knee), Lloyd (ankle), Hannebery (ankle) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Billy Stretch Milestone(s): Billy Stretch (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Tom Mitchell (Sydney) 3 votes, Josh Kennedy (Sydney) 2 votes, Kurt Tippett (Sydney) 1 vote Record: 2 wins, 4 losses, 0 draws (77.61%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Jack Watts Cameron Pedersen ||||||

#### Round 7

| | Round 7 | Round 7 | Round 7 | | |
| Saturday, 16 May (2:10 pm) | Hawthorn | def. | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 41,935) | Report |
| | 6.2 (38) 10.6 (66) 18.8 (116) 24.11 (155) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.0 (12) 3.3 (21) 4.6 (30) 7.8 (50) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Roughead 4, Breust 3, Rioli 3, Schoenmakers 2, Hale 2, Puopolo 2, Langford 2, Suckling, Ceglar, Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Gunston | Roughead 4, Breust 3, Rioli 3, Schoenmakers 2, Hale 2, Puopolo 2, Langford 2, Suckling, Ceglar, Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Gunston | Goals | Garlett 3, Pedersen 3, Bail | Garlett 3, Pedersen 3, Bail |
| Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Roughead, Burgoyne, Langford, Shiels, Ceglar | Mitchell, Hartung, Hill, Roughead, Burgoyne, Langford, Shiels, Ceglar | Best | Garlett, Pedersen, T. McDonald | Garlett, Pedersen, T. McDonald |
| Isaac Smith (illness) replaced in the selected side by Jonathan Simpkin | Isaac Smith (illness) replaced in the selected side by Jonathan Simpkin | Injuries | Jesse Hogan (soreness) replaced in the selected side by Cameron Pedersen, Salem (hamstring) | Jesse Hogan (soreness) replaced in the selected side by Cameron Pedersen, Salem (hamstring) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn) 3 votes, Shaun Burgoyne (Hawthorn) 2 votes, Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) 1 vote Record: 2 wins, 5 losses, 0 draws (67.30%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Billy Stretch Christian Salem ||||||

#### Round 8

| | Round 8 | Round 8 | Round 8 | | |
| Sunday, 24 May (3:20 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Western Bulldogs | MCG (crowd: 29,381) | Report |
| | 3.3 (21) 7.5 (47) 10.10 (70) 15.13 (103) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 3.9 (27) 8.9 (57) 9.10 (64) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Hogan 3, Pedersen 3, Toumpas 2, Vince 2, Howe, N. Jones, Newton, M. Jones, Garlett | Hogan 3, Pedersen 3, Toumpas 2, Vince 2, Howe, N. Jones, Newton, M. Jones, Garlett | Goals | Stringer 2, Dahlhaus, Jong, Wallis, Wood, Hunter, Dale, Picken | Stringer 2, Dahlhaus, Jong, Wallis, Wood, Hunter, Dale, Picken |
| N. Jones, Pedersen, Hogan, Vince, Spencer, Cross, Toumpas | N. Jones, Pedersen, Hogan, Vince, Spencer, Cross, Toumpas | Best | M. Boyd, Dahlhaus, Wallis, Wood, Stevens | M. Boyd, Dahlhaus, Wallis, Wood, Stevens |
| M. Jones (concussion) | M. Jones (concussion) | Injuries | Goodes (arm) | Goodes (arm) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Aaron vandenBerg (Melbourne) 3 votes, Jesse Hogan (Melbourne) 2 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 3 wins, 5 losses, 0 draws (75.34%) Ladder position: 14th Substitutes: Aidan Riley Matt Jones ||||||

#### Round 9

| | Round 9 | Round 9 | Round 9 | | |
| Saturday, 30 May (1:40 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Port Adelaide | TIO Traegar Park (crowd: 4,866) | Report |
| | 3.2 (20) 6.2 (38) 7.3 (45) 8.6 (54) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.2 (8) 8.4 (52) 12.6 (78) 18.7 (115) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hogan 2, Garlett 2, Spencer, Lumumba, M. Jones, Fitzpatrick | Hogan 2, Garlett 2, Spencer, Lumumba, M. Jones, Fitzpatrick | Goals | Schulz 4, Monfries 3, Westhoff 2, Wingard 2, Amon, R. Gray, Stewart, White, Krakouer, Ebert, Hartlett | Schulz 4, Monfries 3, Westhoff 2, Wingard 2, Amon, R. Gray, Stewart, White, Krakouer, Ebert, Hartlett |
| Brayshaw, N. Jones, T. McDonald, Hogan, Garland | Brayshaw, N. Jones, T. McDonald, Hogan, Garland | Best | Ebert, Boak, R. Gray, Wines, Schulz, Wingard, Hartlett | Ebert, Boak, R. Gray, Wines, Schulz, Wingard, Hartlett |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Cameron Pedersen (50th AFL game), Jeff Garlett (200th AFL goal), Jesse Hogan (Rising Star round nominee) Brownlow votes: Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide) 3 votes, Brad Ebert (Port Adelaide) 2 votes, Travis Boak (Port Adelaide) 1 vote Record: 3 wins, 6 losses, 0 draws (71.54%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Jack Viney Neville Jetta ||||||

#### Round 10

| | Round 10 | Round 10 | Round 10 | | |
| Monday, 8 June (3:20 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | Collingwood | MCG (crowd: 66,120) | Report |
| | 3.1 (19) 9.1 (55) 13.4 (82) 13.7 (85) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 7.1 (42) 11.3 (69) 15.4 (94) 17.8 (110) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Howe 3, N. Jones 2, Garlett 2, Vince 2, Hogan, Brayshaw, Fitzpatrick, Watts | Howe 3, N. Jones 2, Garlett 2, Vince 2, Hogan, Brayshaw, Fitzpatrick, Watts | Goals | Cloke 7, Elliott 3, Blair 3, Swan, Seedsman, Broomhead, Fasolo | Cloke 7, Elliott 3, Blair 3, Swan, Seedsman, Broomhead, Fasolo |
| N. Jones, Vince, Viney, Brayshaw, Cross, Jetta | N. Jones, Vince, Viney, Brayshaw, Cross, Jetta | Best | Cloke, Oxley, Pendlebury, Grundy, Williams, Langdon | Cloke, Oxley, Pendlebury, Grundy, Williams, Langdon |
| Viney (corked calf), vandenBerg (hamstring) | Viney (corked calf), vandenBerg (hamstring) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestones: Angus Brayshaw (Rising Star round nominee) Brownlow votes: Travis Cloke (Collingwood) 3 votes, Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 2 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 3 wins, 7 losses, 0 draws (72.19%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Matt Jones Aaron vandenBerg ||||||

#### Round 11

| | Round 11 | Round 11 | Round 11 | | |
| Sunday, 14 June (4:40 pm) | St Kilda | def. | Melbourne | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 25,187) | Report |
| | 3.5 (23) 9.6 (60) 11.9 (75) 12.13 (85) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.4 (22) 8.6 (54) 11.9 (75) 12.11 (83) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Riewoldt 4, Lonie 2, Membrey, Minchington, Ross, Bruce, Steven, Montagna | Riewoldt 4, Lonie 2, Membrey, Minchington, Ross, Bruce, Steven, Montagna | Goals | Hogan 5, Toumpas 2, Brayshaw, Viney, Garlett, T. McDonald, Howe | Hogan 5, Toumpas 2, Brayshaw, Viney, Garlett, T. McDonald, Howe |
| Montagna, Riewoldt, Newnes, Armitage, Weller, Ross | Montagna, Riewoldt, Newnes, Armitage, Weller, Ross | Best | Hogan, Viney, Toumpas, Dunn, N. Jones, Vince, Cross | Hogan, Viney, Toumpas, Dunn, N. Jones, Vince, Cross |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Pedersen (hand) | Pedersen (hand) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Alex Neal-Bullen Milestone(s): Lynden Dunn (150th AFL game) Brownlow votes: Leigh Montagna (St Kilda) 3 votes, Jesse Hogan (Melbourne) 2 votes, Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 3 wins, 8 losses, 0 draws (74.24%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Viv Michie Cameron Pedersen ||||||

#### Round 12

| | Round 12 | Round 12 | Round 12 | | |
| Sunday, 21 June (3:20 pm) | Geelong | def. by | Melbourne | Simonds Stadium (crowd: 28,007) | Report |
| | 3.1 (19) 6.4 (40) 11.5 (71) 13.11 (89) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.2 (32) 7.3 (45) 13.4 (82) 18.5 (113) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hawkins 2, Johnson 2, Lang 2, Motlop 2, Kersten 2, Guthrie, Walker, Selwood | Hawkins 2, Johnson 2, Lang 2, Motlop 2, Kersten 2, Guthrie, Walker, Selwood | Goals | Garlett 4, Neal-Bullen 3, Howe 2, M. Jones 2, Vince 2, Tyson, Gawn, Spencer, N. Jones, Stretch | Garlett 4, Neal-Bullen 3, Howe 2, M. Jones 2, Vince 2, Tyson, Gawn, Spencer, N. Jones, Stretch |
| Guthrie, Motlop, Lang | Guthrie, Motlop, Lang | Best | Vince, Brayshaw, N. Jones, Gawn, Dunn, Viney, Garlett | Vince, Brayshaw, N. Jones, Gawn, Dunn, Viney, Garlett |
| Murdoch (hamstring) | Murdoch (hamstring) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Alex Neal-Bullen (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Max Gawn (Melbourne) 3 votes, Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 2 votes, Steven Motlop (Geelong) 1 vote Record: 4 wins, 8 losses, 0 draws (78.34%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Aidan Riley Jimmy Toumpas ||||||

#### Round 13

| Round 13 | Round 13 | Round 13 |
| Bye Melbourne | Bye Melbourne | Bye Melbourne |

#### Round 14

| | Round 14 | Round 14 | Round 14 | | |
| Saturday, 4 July (7:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | West Coast | TIO Stadium (crowd: 11,873) | Report |
| | 2.4 (16) 5.5 (35) 8.6 (54) 9.6 (60) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 5.4 (34) 7.8 (50) 10.14 (74) 16.18 (114) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Dawes 2, Neal-Bullen 2, Tyson, Viney, Spencer, Garlett, Hogan | Dawes 2, Neal-Bullen 2, Tyson, Viney, Spencer, Garlett, Hogan | Goals | Darling 5, Kennedy 2, Shuey 2, Cripps 2, Sheed, Hill, Sinclair, Le Cras, McGovern | Darling 5, Kennedy 2, Shuey 2, Cripps 2, Sheed, Hill, Sinclair, Le Cras, McGovern |
| Tyson, N. Jones, Vince, Watts | Tyson, N. Jones, Vince, Watts | Best | Darling, Gaff, Naitanui, Kennedy, Wellingham, Masten, Sheed | Darling, Gaff, Naitanui, Kennedy, Wellingham, Masten, Sheed |
| Brayshaw (neck) | Brayshaw (neck) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Jack Darling (West Coast) 3 votes, Chris Masten (West Coast) 2 votes, Andrew Gaff (West Coast) 1 vote Record: 4 wins, 9 losses, 0 draws (76.01%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Alex Neal-Bullen Angus Brayshaw ||||||

#### Round 15

| | Round 15 | Round 15 | Round 15 | | |
| Saturday, 11 July (1:40 pm) | Essendon | def. | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 38,861) | Report |
| | 1.3 (9) 3.4 (22) 9.7 (61) 10.9 (69) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.3 (9) 3.9 (27) 4.13 (37) 7.18 (60) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Daniher 5, Edwards 2, Howlett, Stanton, Heppell | Daniher 5, Edwards 2, Howlett, Stanton, Heppell | Goals | Tyson, Howe, vandenBerg, Hogan, Jetta, Garlett, T. McDonald | Tyson, Howe, vandenBerg, Hogan, Jetta, Garlett, T. McDonald |
| Hurley, Daniher, Stanton, Goddard, Heppell, Gwilt | Hurley, Daniher, Stanton, Goddard, Heppell, Gwilt | Best | Gawn, Vince, N. Jones, vandenBerg, T. McDonald, Dunn, Viney | Gawn, Vince, N. Jones, vandenBerg, T. McDonald, Dunn, Viney |
| Browne (concussion) | Browne (concussion) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): James Harmes Brownlow votes: Brent Stanton (Essendon) 3 votes, Joe Daniher (Essendon) 2 votes, Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 4 wins, 10 losses, 0 draws (76.58%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Jay Kennedy Harris James Harmes ||||||

#### Round 16

| | Round 16 | Round 16 | Round 16 | | |
| Sunday, 19 July (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Brisbane Lions | MCG (crowd: 25,149) | Report |
| | 5.4 (34) 7.7 (49) 7.10 (52) 8.12 (60) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.2 (8) 1.5 (11) 3.8 (26) 4.12 (36) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hogan 4, T. McDonald 2, Garlett 2 | Hogan 4, T. McDonald 2, Garlett 2 | Goals | Zorko, Robinson, Andrews, Christensen | Zorko, Robinson, Andrews, Christensen |
| Howe, Hogan, Viney, Cross, vandenBerg, N.Jones, Gawn | Howe, Hogan, Viney, Cross, vandenBerg, N.Jones, Gawn | Best | Christensen, Zorko, Taylor, Beams, Andrews | Christensen, Zorko, Taylor, Beams, Andrews |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Hanley (hamstring) | Hanley (hamstring) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Jeremy Howe (Melbourne) 3 votes, Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions) 2 votes, Jesse Hogan (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 5 wins, 10 losses, 0 draws (78.96%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Alex Neal-Bullen Jay Kennedy Harris ||||||

#### Round 17

| | Round 17 | Round 17 | Round 17 | | |
| Sunday, 26 July (3:20 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | St Kilda | MCG (crowd: 22,945) | Report |
| | 1.2 (8) 3.6 (24) 5.9 (39) 4.10 (46) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.4 (28) 4.7 (31) 10.8 (68) 12.11 (83) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| N. Jones, Dawes, Tyson, Hogan, Garlett, Gawn | N. Jones, Dawes, Tyson, Hogan, Garlett, Gawn | Goals | Riewoldt 3, Dunstan 2, Savage, Sinclair, Lonie, McCartin, Newnes, Bruce, Weller | Riewoldt 3, Dunstan 2, Savage, Sinclair, Lonie, McCartin, Newnes, Bruce, Weller |
| Viney, Grimes, Cross, Vince, Watts, Howe | Viney, Grimes, Cross, Vince, Watts, Howe | Best | Riewoldt, Roberton, Gilbert, Geary, Dempster, Fisher, Montagna | Riewoldt, Roberton, Gilbert, Geary, Dempster, Fisher, Montagna |
| T. McDonald (left eye) | T. McDonald (left eye) | Injuries | Armitage (shin), Webster (ribs), Riewoldt (corked calf) | Armitage (shin), Webster (ribs), Riewoldt (corked calf) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) 3 votes, Sean Dempster (St Kilda) 2 votes, Jack Viney (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 5 wins, 11 losses, 0 draws (77.61%) Ladder position: 15th Substitutes: Viv Michie Aaron vandenBerg ||||||

#### Round 18

| | Round 18 | Round 18 | Round 18 | | |
| Saturday, 1 August (2:10 pm) | Collingwood | def. by | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 37,894) | Report |
| | 1.4 (10) 4.6 (30) 7.10 (52) 7.12 (54) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.4 (28) 6.5 (41) 9.6 (60) 13.13 (91) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Fasolo 3, Pendlebury, Varcoe, Witts, Adams | Fasolo 3, Pendlebury, Varcoe, Witts, Adams | Goals | Vince 3, Hogan 3, Garlett 2, vandenBerg, Watts, Harmes, N. Jones, Howe | Vince 3, Hogan 3, Garlett 2, vandenBerg, Watts, Harmes, N. Jones, Howe |
| Swan, Adams, Fasolo, Sidebottom, Williams, Langdon | Swan, Adams, Fasolo, Sidebottom, Williams, Langdon | Best | Vince, N. Jones, Gawn, Watts, Viney, Garland, Cross | Vince, N. Jones, Gawn, Watts, Viney, Garland, Cross |
| Goldsack (tight quad) replaced in the selected side by Scharenberg | Goldsack (tight quad) replaced in the selected side by Scharenberg | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): James Harmes (1st AFL goal) Brownlow votes: Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 3 votes, Dane Swan (Collingwood) 2 votes, Max Gawn (Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 11 losses, 0 draws (80.88%) Ladder position: 14th Substitutes: James Harmes Viv Michie ||||||

#### Round 19

| | Round 19 | Round 19 | Round 19 | | |
| Sunday, 9 August (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. by | North Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 30,695) | Report |
| | 2.0 (12) 6.4 (34) 11.6 (71) 14.8 (92) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 7.4 (46) 9.4 (58) 12.10 (82) 19.13 (127) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Hogan 4, Dawes 3, Watts, Garlett, Viney, Brayshaw, N. Jones, Neal-Bullen, Gawn | Hogan 4, Dawes 3, Watts, Garlett, Viney, Brayshaw, N. Jones, Neal-Bullen, Gawn | Goals | Thomas 5, Waite 3, Harvey 2, Brown 2, Higgins 2, Nahas 2, Petrie, Jacobs, Cunnington | Thomas 5, Waite 3, Harvey 2, Brown 2, Higgins 2, Nahas 2, Petrie, Jacobs, Cunnington |
| Viney, Hogan, Dawes, Tyson, Brayshaw, Cross | Viney, Hogan, Dawes, Tyson, Brayshaw, Cross | Best | Higgins, Goldstein, Cunnington, Thomas, Waite, Harvey | Higgins, Goldstein, Cunnington, Thomas, Waite, Harvey |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Brown (calf) | Brown (calf) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Dom Tyson (50th AFL game) Brownlow votes: Shaun Higgins (North Melbourne) 3 votes, Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne) 2 votes, Nick Dal Santo (North Melbourne) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 12 losses, 0 draws (80.22%) Ladder position: 14th Substitutes: Alex Neal-Bullen James Harmes ||||||

#### Round 20

| | Round 20 | Round 20 | Round 20 | | |
| Sunday, 16 August (3:20 pm) | Western Bulldogs | def. | Melbourne | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 27,805) | Report |
| | 8.3 (51) 14.5 (89) 14.7 (91) 24.9 (153) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.2 (2) 2.4 (16) 7.7 (49) 8.7 (55) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Stringer 4, Grant 3, Bontempelli 3, Dickson 3, Crameri 2, Jong 2, Redpath 2, Wallis, Macrae, Hunter, Dahlhaus, Biggs | Stringer 4, Grant 3, Bontempelli 3, Dickson 3, Crameri 2, Jong 2, Redpath 2, Wallis, Macrae, Hunter, Dahlhaus, Biggs | Goals | Hogan 3, Garlett 2, Gawn, Dawes, Watts | Hogan 3, Garlett 2, Gawn, Dawes, Watts |
| Dahlhaus, Wallis, M. Boyd, Grant, Stringer, Hunter, Macrae, Murphy | Dahlhaus, Wallis, M. Boyd, Grant, Stringer, Hunter, Macrae, Murphy | Best | T. McDonald, Viney, Watts, Michie | T. McDonald, Viney, Watts, Michie |
| Nil | Nil | Injuries | Jetta (neck) | Jetta (neck) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Milestone(s): Matt Jones (50 AFL games) Brownlow votes: Luke Dahlhaus (Western Bulldogs) 3 votes, Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs) 2 votes, Lachie Hunter (Western Bulldogs) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 13 losses, 0 draws (76.42%) Ladder position: 14th Substitutes: Jack Grimes Neville Jetta ||||||

#### Round 21

| | Round 21 | Round 21 | Round 21 | | |
| Sunday, 23 August (3:20 pm) | Carlton | def. | Melbourne | MCG (crowd: 33,962) | Report |
| | 6.2 (32) 10.2 (62) 11.3 (69) 12.6 (78) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 1.2 (8) 2.3 (15) 6.9 (45) 7.13 (55) | Television broadcast: Seven Network | Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| Kreuzer 4, Walker 3, Cripps 2, Everitt 2, Watson | Kreuzer 4, Walker 3, Cripps 2, Everitt 2, Watson | Goals | Grimes, Dawes, N. Jones, Watts, Newton, Garlett, Gawn | Grimes, Dawes, N. Jones, Watts, Newton, Garlett, Gawn |
| Cripps, Kreuzer, Tutt, Curnow, Murphy, Docherty | Cripps, Kreuzer, Tutt, Curnow, Murphy, Docherty | Best | Watts, Grimes, Newton, T. McDonald, Michie, N. Jones | Watts, Grimes, Newton, T. McDonald, Michie, N. Jones |
| Casboult (knee) replaced in selected side by Watson, Menzel (shoulder), Murphy (shoulder), Jamison (concussion), Kreuzer (back) | Casboult (knee) replaced in selected side by Watson, Menzel (shoulder), Murphy (shoulder), Jamison (concussion), Kreuzer (back) | Injuries | Lumumba (ankle) | Lumumba (ankle) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Brownlow votes: Matthew Kreuzer (Carlton) 3 votes, Patrick Cripps (Carlton) 2 votes, Andrew Walker (Carlton) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 14 losses, 0 draws (76.17%) Ladder position: 14th Substitutes: Alex Neal-Bullen Heritier Lumumba ||||||

#### Round 22

| | Round 22 | Round 22 | Round 22 | | |
| Sunday, 30 August (2:40 pm) | Fremantle | def. | Melbourne | Patersons Stadium (crowd: 33,529) | Report |
| | 5.1 (31) 11.3 (69) 14.5 (89) 17.6 (108) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.1 (1) 4.2 (26) 6.5 (41) 8.6 (54) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Pavlich 3, D.Pearce 3, de Boer 2, Neale 2, Barlow, Mzungu, Ibbotson, Mayne, Sandilands, Hill, Sheridan | Pavlich 3, D.Pearce 3, de Boer 2, Neale 2, Barlow, Mzungu, Ibbotson, Mayne, Sandilands, Hill, Sheridan | Goals | Garlett 2, Hogan 2, Grimes, Vince, Watts, Gawn | Garlett 2, Hogan 2, Grimes, Vince, Watts, Gawn |
| Mundy, Neale, D.Pearce, Hill, Barlow, C.Pearce, Suban | Mundy, Neale, D.Pearce, Hill, Barlow, C.Pearce, Suban | Best | Cross, Viney, Gawn, Dunn, Grimes, Vince | Cross, Viney, Gawn, Dunn, Grimes, Vince |
| Walters (calf) replaced in selected side, Sutcliffe (shoulder) | Walters (calf) replaced in selected side, Sutcliffe (shoulder) | Injuries | Jones (ankle), Spencer (concussion) | Jones (ankle), Spencer (concussion) |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Oscar McDonald Milestone(s): Nathan Jones (200th AFL game) Brownlow votes: David Mundy (Fremantle) 3 votes, Lachie Neale (Fremantle) 2 votes, Danyle Pearce (Fremantle) 1 vote Record: 6 wins, 15 losses, 0 draws (74.73%) Ladder position: 14th Substitutes: Jack Grimes Nathan Jones ||||||

#### Round 23

| | Round 23 | Round 23 | Round 23 | | |
| Sunday, 6 September (1:10 pm) | Melbourne | def. | Greater Western Sydney | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 8,974) | Report |
| | 4.1 (25) 7.6 (48) 13.10 (88) 15.13 (103) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.1 (25) 7.4 (46) 9.7 (61) 11.11 (77) | Television broadcast: Fox Footy | Television broadcast: Fox Footy |
| Newton 3, Hogan 3, Garlett 2, Harmes 2, Howe, N. Jones, Grimes, Dunn, Kennedy Harris | Newton 3, Hogan 3, Garlett 2, Harmes 2, Howe, N. Jones, Grimes, Dunn, Kennedy Harris | Goals | Williams 2, Cameron 2, Palmer, Whitfield, Townsend, Ward, Stewart, Smith, Greene | Williams 2, Cameron 2, Palmer, Whitfield, Townsend, Ward, Stewart, Smith, Greene |
| N. Jones, Vince, Viney, Hogan, Cross, Garland, T. McDonald, Gawn | N. Jones, Vince, Viney, Hogan, Cross, Garland, T. McDonald, Gawn | Best | Ward, Greene, Smith, Shaw, Townsend | Ward, Greene, Smith, Shaw, Townsend |
| Cross (concussion) | Cross (concussion) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| Nil | Nil | Reports | Nil | Nil |
| Debut(s): Mitch White Milestone(s): Jeremy Howe (100th AFL game) Brownlow votes: Bernie Vince (Melbourne) 3 votes, Nathan Jones (Melbourne) 2 votes, Callan Ward (Greater Western Sydney) 1 vote Record: 7 wins, 15 losses, 0 draws (76.96%) Ladder position: 13th Substitutes: Alex Neal-Bullen Mitch White ||||||

## Ladder

2015 AFL ladder :
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts | |
| 1 | Fremantle | 22 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 1857 | 1564 | 118.7 | 68 | Finals series |
| 2 | West Coast | 22 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 2330 | 1572 | 148.2 | 66 | Finals series |
| 3 | Hawthorn (P) | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2452 | 1548 | 158.4 | 64 | Finals series |
| 4 | Sydney | 22 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 2006 | 1578 | 127.1 | 64 | Finals series |
| 5 | Richmond | 22 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 1930 | 1568 | 123.1 | 60 | Finals series |
| 6 | Western Bulldogs | 22 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 2101 | 1825 | 115.1 | 56 | Finals series |
| 7 | Adelaide | 21 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 2107 | 1821 | 115.7 | 54 | Finals series |
| 8 | North Melbourne | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 2062 | 1937 | 106.5 | 52 | Finals series |
| 9 | Port Adelaide | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2002 | 1874 | 106.8 | 48 | |
| 10 | Geelong | 21 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1853 | 1833 | 101.1 | 48 | |
| 11 | Greater Western Sydney | 22 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 1872 | 1891 | 99.0 | 44 | |
| 12 | Collingwood | 22 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1972 | 1856 | 106.3 | 40 | |
| 13 | Melbourne | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 1573 | 2044 | 77.0 | 28 | |
| 14 | St Kilda | 22 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 1695 | 2162 | 78.4 | 26 | |
| 15 | Essendon | 22 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 1580 | 2134 | 74.0 | 24 | |
| 16 | Gold Coast | 22 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 1633 | 2240 | 72.9 | 18 | |
| 17 | Brisbane Lions | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1557 | 2306 | 67.5 | 16 | |
| 18 | Carlton | 22 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 1525 | 2354 | 64.8 | 16 | |
* 1 2 The round 14 match between Adelaide and Geelong was cancelled due to the death of Adelaide coach Phil Walsh, and both teams were awarded two premiership points each.

### Ladder breakdown by opposition

| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | Drew | Premiership points | Points for | Points against | Percentage (%) |
| Brisbane Lions | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 60 | 36 | 166.67% |
| Richmond | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 83 | 51 | 162.75% |
| Gold Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 115 | 89 | 129.21% |
| Geelong | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 113 | 89 | 126.97% |
| Collingwood | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 176 | 164 | 107.32% |
| Greater Western Sydney | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 159 | 178 | 89.33% |
| Western Bulldogs | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 158 | 217 | 72.81% |
| Essendon | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 69 | 86.96% |
| St Kilda | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 129 | 168 | 76.79% |
| North Melbourne | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 127 | 72.44% |
| Carlton | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 78 | 70.51% |
| Adelaide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 80 | 68.75% |
| Sydney | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 88 | 56.82% |
| West Coast | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 114 | 52.63% |
| Port Adelaide | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 115 | 46.96% |
| Fremantle | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 226 | 46.02% |
| Hawthorn | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 155 | 35.48% |
| Total | 22 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 28 | 1573 | 2044 | 76.96% |

## Tribunal/Match Review Panel cases

| Player | Round | Charge category (Level) | Verdict | Early Plea | Result | Victim | Club |
| Nathan Jones | 3 | Engaging in a Melee (second offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1500 | N/A | N/A |
| Dean Kent | 3 | Engaging in a Melee (second offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1500 | N/A | N/A |
| Bernie Vince | 3 | Engaging in a Melee (second offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1500 | N/A | N/A |
| Jay Kennedy Harris | 3 | Engaging in a Melee (first offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | N/A | N/A |
| Lynden Dunn | 6 | Kneeing | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Adam Goodes | Sydney |
| Nathan Jones | 18 | Wrestling (first offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Scott Pendlebury | Collingwood |
| Jack Viney | 22 | Wrestling (first offence) | Guilty | Yes | $1000 | Nick Suban | Fremantle |

## Awards
### Brownlow Medal tally

| Player | 3 vote games | 2 vote games | 1 vote games | Total votes |
| Bernie Vince | 2 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| Nathan Jones | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| Jesse Hogan | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Max Gawn | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Jeremy Howe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Aaron vandenBerg | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jack Viney | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Total | 7 | 7 | 7 | 42 |

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

| Position | Player | Votes |
| 1st | Bernie Vince | 328 |
| 2nd | Jack Viney | 327 |
| 3rd | Tom McDonald | 300 |
| 4th | Jesse Hogan | 286 |
| 5th | Nathan Jones | 270 |
| 6th | Daniel Cross | 242 |
| 7th | Colin Garland | 218 |
| 8th | Jeff Garlett | 216 |
| 9th | Jeremy Howe | 151 |
| 10th | Lynden Dunn | 148 |
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy – Bernie Vince
Sid Anderson Memorial Trophy (Second in the Best and Fairest) – Jack Viney
Ron Barassi Snr Memorial Trophy (Third in the Best and Fairest) – Tom McDonald
Ivor Warne-Smith Memorial Trophy (Fourth in the Best and Fairest) – Jesse Hogan
Dick Taylor Memorial Trophy (Fifth in the Best and Fairest) – Nathan Jones
Harold Ball Memorial Trophy (Best Young Player) – Jesse Hogan
Troy Broadbridge Trophy (highest polling MFC player in the Casey Best and Fairest) – Aidan Riley
Ron Barassi Jnr. Leadership Award – Daniel Cross, Jack Trengove
Ian Ridley Club Ambassador Award – Neville Jetta
Norm Smith Memorial Trophy (Coach's Award) – Jack Viney
James McDonald Trophy (Best Team Man) – Jack Viney
Leading Goalkicker Award – Jesse Hogan (44 goals)
Best Female Player – Daisy Pearce