This is a list of seasons competed by the Melbourne Football Club. The team was founded in 1858, and was fundamental in developing the rules of Australian rules football and organizing the first competitions. Melbourne was a founding member of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877, which, alongside the South Australian Football Association (SAFA), were the first ever Australian rules football associations. In 1897, Melbourne was a founding member of the breakaway Victorian Football League (VFL) – renamed the Australian Football League (AFL) in 1990 – which they have remained in ever since.
In their long history, Melbourne have had long periods of success but also long periods of failure. During the nine VFA premiership seasons in which Melbourne took part, they never won the premiership. They have won the AFL premiership 13 times, most recently in 2021, which was the club's first premiership since 1964. After their 1964 premiership, Melbourne missed the finals for 22 consecutive seasons, the third-longest such drought in VFL/AFL history.
Seasons
PremiershipRunners-upMinor premiershipFinals berthWooden spoon
LeagueSeasonMelbourneSeasonLeagueHome-and-away season resultsFinals resultsCoachCaptainFinishWinsLossesDraws (VFA)18771877VFA—1634Not held—Bob Sillett18781878VFA—1175Not held—Bob Sillett18791879VFA—1164Not held—Bob Sillett18801880VFA—958Not held—James Bennie18811881VFA—1464Not held—Sam Lamrock18821882VFA—6134Not held—Dave Rannard18831883VFA—12102Not held—Murdoch McKenzie18841884VFA—10133Not held—John Macdonald18851885VFA—6152Not held—George AitkenFrederick Franks18861886VFA—13101Not held—Howard Morrison18871887VFA—7112Not held—James KellyVFA premiership officially established18881888VFA11th4141Not held—Howard King18891889VFA11th4161Not held—Eddie Fox18901890VFA8th694Not held—Eddie Fox18911891VFA6th865Not held—Eddie Fox18921892VFA4th1053Not held—William AitkenEddie Fox18931893VFA2nd1632Not held—Eddie Fox18941894VFA2nd1350Not held—Eddie Fox18951895VFA2nd1350Not held—Eddie FoxJoe Wilson18961896VFA4th1260Not held—Joe Wilson (VFL)18971897VFL3rd1040Lost round-robin match (Collingwood) 51–47Lost round-robin match (Geelong) 46–37Lost round-robin match (Essendon) 14–8—Ned Sutton18981898VFL6th6101Lost round-robin match (Geelong) 78–16Won round-robin match (St Kilda) 38–17Lost round-robin match (Collingwood) 55–41—Ned Sutton18991899VFL5th890Lost round-robin match (Collingwood) 45–25Lost round-robin match (Fitzroy) 40–2Lost round-robin match (Carlton) 41–16—Eddie Sholl19001900VFL6th890Won round-robin match (Geelong) 45–28Won round-robin match (St Kilda) 86–15Lost round-robin match (Collingwood) 30–24Won semi-final (Essendon) 45–43Won Grand Final (Fitzroy) 34–30—Dick Wardill19011901VFL5th971—William C. McClelland19021902VFL4th980Lost semi-final (Essendon) 61–51—William C. McClelland19031903VFL7th3140—William C. McClelland19041904VFL6th890—William C. McClelland19051905VFL8th3140—Frank Langley19061906VFL8th1160—Arthur Sowden19071907VFL7th7100Alec HallVin Coutie19081908VFL8th7110Alec HallHugh Purse19091909VFL5th1071Alec HallBernie Nolan19101910VFL9th4140Eddie DrohanVin Coutie19111911VFL7th7101—Vin Coutie19121912VFL6th990Alec HallAlf George19131913VFL9th4140Alec HallAlf George19141914VFL9th2160Len Incigneri19151915VFL4th970Lost semi-final (Carlton) 78–67Jack McKenzie1916Did not play due to World War I1917191819191919VFL9th0160George Heinz19201920VFL8th5110Gerald BrosnanGeorge Heinz19211921VFL6th682Percy Wilson19221922VFL6th790Percy Wilson19231923VFL9th3130Percy Wilson19241924VFL8th4120Gordon RattrayBert Chadwick19251925VFL3rd1241Won semi-final (Geelong) 101–86Lost preliminary final (Collingwood) 63–26Bert Chadwick19261926VFL3rd1440Won semi-final (Collingwood) 95–84Won Preliminary Final (Essendon) 42–39Won Grand Final (Collingwood) 119–62Bert Chadwick19271927VFL5th1260Bert Chadwick19281928VFL3rd1440Drew Semi-final (Collingwood) 62–62Lost semi-final replay (Collingwood) 68–64Ivor Warne-Smith19291929VFL5th1161Ivor Warne-Smith19301930VFL5th1170Ivor Warne-Smith19311931VFL8th8100Ivor Warne-Smith19321932VFL9th4140Ivor Warne-SmithFrancis Vine19331933VFL10th3150Frank HughesFrancis Vine19341934VFL6th990Frank HughesColin Niven19351935VFL6th891Frank HughesColin Niven19361936VFL4th1260Won semi-final (Carlton) 97–88Lost preliminary final (South Melbourne) 89–63Frank HughesAllan La Fontaine19371937VFL2nd1530Lost semi-final (Geelong) 125–113Lost preliminary final (Collingwood) 107–52Frank HughesAllan La Fontaine19381938VFL5th1170Frank HughesAllan La Fontaine19391939VFL1st1530Won semi-final (Collingwood) 104–90Won Grand Final (Collingwood) 148–95Frank HughesAllan La Fontaine19401940VFL1st1440Lost semi-final (Richmond) 107–101Won Preliminary Final (Essendon) 90–85Won Grand Final (Richmond) 107–68Frank HughesAllan La Fontaine19411941VFL2nd1440Won semi-final (Carlton) 109–82Won Grand Final (Essendon) 127–98Frank HughesAllan La Fontaine19421942VFL8th5100Percy Beames19431943VFL7th780Percy Beames19441944VFL8th7110Percy Beames19451945VFL9th8120Frank HughesNorm Smith19461946VFL4th1360Won semi-final (Footscray) 120–102Won Preliminary Final (Collingwood) 113–100Lost Grand Final (Essendon) 150–87Frank HughesNorm Smith19471947VFL6th1180Frank HughesNorm Smith19481948VFL2nd1360Lost semi-final (Essendon) 94–58Won Preliminary Final (Collingwood) 166–101Drew Grand Final (Essendon) 69–69Won Grand Final replay (Essendon) 89–50Frank HughesDon Cordner19491949VFL5th1270Allan La FontaineDon Cordner19501950VFL3rd1260Lost semi-final (Geelong) 88–44Allan La FontaineShane McGrath19511951VFL12th1170Allan La FontaineDenis Cordner19521952VFL6th991Norm SmithDenis Cordner19531953VFL11th3141Norm SmithDenis Cordner19541954VFL4th1170Won semi-final (North Melbourne) 110–80Won Preliminary Final (Geelong) 67–50Lost Grand Final (Footscray) 102–51Norm SmithGeoff Collins19551955VFL1st1530Won semi-final (Collingwood) 56–45Won Grand Final (Collingwood) 64–36Norm SmithNoel McMahen19561956VFL1st1620Won semi-final (Collingwood) 80–64Won Grand Final (Collingwood) 121–48Norm SmithNoel McMahen19571957VFL1st1251Lost semi-final (Essendon) 83–67Won Preliminary Final (Hawthorn) 144–76Won Grand Final (Essendon) 116–55Norm SmithJohn Beckwith19581958VFL1st1530Won semi-final (Collingwood) 78–33Lost Grand Final (Collingwood) 82–64Norm SmithJohn Beckwith19591959VFL1st1341Won semi-final (Carlton) 81–37Won Grand Final (Essendon) 115–78Norm SmithJohn Beckwith19601960VFL1st1440Won semi-final (Fitzroy) 102–40Won Grand Final (Collingwood) 62–14Norm SmithRon Barassi19611961VFL2nd1251Lost semi-final (Hawthorn) 80–73Lost preliminary final (Footscray) 85–58Norm SmithRon Barassi19621962VFL3rd1440Lost semi-final (Carlton) 78–76Norm SmithRon Barassi19631963VFL3rd1350Won semi-final (St Kilda) 71–64Lost preliminary final (Hawthorn) 77–68Norm SmithRon Barassi19641964VFL1st1440Won semi-final (Collingwood) 134–45Won Grand Final (Collingwood) 64–60Norm SmithRon Barassi19651965VFL7th1080Norm SmithHassa Mann19661966VFL11th3150Norm SmithHassa Mann19671967VFL7th8100Norm SmithHassa Mann19681968VFL8th8120John BeckwithHassa Mann19691969VFL12th3170John BeckwithTassie Johnson19701970VFL10th6160John BeckwithFrank Davis19711971VFL7th11101Ian RidleyFrank Davis19721972VFL8th10120Ian RidleyFrank Davis19731973VFL10th7150Ian RidleyStan Alves19741974VFL12th3190Bob SkiltonStan Alves19751975VFL10th9130Bob SkiltonStan Alves19761976VFL6th11110Bob SkiltonStan Alves19771977VFL11th5170Bob SkiltonGreg Wells19781978VFL12th5170Dennis JonesGreg Wells19791979VFL11th6160Carl Ditterich19801980VFL9th5170Carl Ditterich19811981VFL12th1210Ron BarassiRobert Flower19821982VFL8th8140Ron BarassiRobert Flower19831983VFL8th9130Ron BarassiRobert Flower19841984VFL9th9130Ron BarassiRobert Flower19851985VFL11th6160Ron BarassiRobert Flower19861986VFL11th7150John NortheyRobert Flower19871987VFL5th12100Won Elimination Final (North Melbourne) 158–40Won semi-final (Sydney) 149–73Lost preliminary final (Hawthorn) 80–78John NortheyRobert Flower19881988VFL5th1390Won Elimination Final (West Coast) 73–71Won semi-final (Collingwood) 95–82Won Preliminary Final (Carlton) 120–98Lost Grand Final (Hawthorn) 152–56John NortheyGreg Healy19891989VFL4th1480Won Elimination Final (Collingwood) 111–88Lost semi-final (Geelong) 153–90John NortheyGreg Healy (AFL)19901990AFL4th1660Won Elimination Final (Hawthorn) 73–64Lost semi-final (West Coast) 130–100John NortheyGreg Healy19911991AFL5th1390Won Elimination Final (Essendon) 113–75Lost semi-final (West Coast) 117–79John NortheyGarry Lyon19921992AFL11th7141John NortheyGarry Lyon19931993AFL10th10100Neil BalmeGarry Lyon19941994AFL7th12100Won Qualifying Final (Carlton) 123–96Won semi-final (Footscray) 144–65Lost preliminary final (West Coast) 117–52Neil BalmeGarry Lyon19951995AFL9th9130Neil BalmeGarry Lyon19961996AFL14th7150Neil BalmeGarry Lyon19971997AFL16th4180Neil BalmeGreg HutchisonGarry Lyon19981998AFL4th1480Won Qualifying Final (Adelaide) 115–67Won semi-final (St Kilda) 107–56Lost preliminary final (North Melbourne) 114–84Neale DaniherTodd Viney19991999AFL14th6160Neale DaniherTodd Viney20002000AFL3rd1480Won Qualifying Final (Carlton) 96–87Won Preliminary Final (North Melbourne) 156–106Lost Grand Final (Essendon) 135–75Neale DaniherDavid Neitz20012001AFL11th10120Neale DaniherDavid Neitz20022002AFL6th12100Won Elimination Final (North Melbourne) 122–84Lost semi-final (Adelaide) 130–118Neale DaniherDavid Neitz20032003AFL14th5170Neale DaniherDavid Neitz20042004AFL5th1480Lost Elimination Final (Essendon) 104–99Neale DaniherDavid Neitz20052005AFL7th12100Lost Elimination Final (Geelong) 116–61Neale DaniherDavid Neitz20062006AFL7th1381Won Elimination Final (St Kilda) 90–72Lost semi-final (Fremantle) 102–74Neale DaniherDavid Neitz20072007AFL14th5170Neale DaniherMark RileyDavid Neitz20082008AFL16th3190Dean BaileyDavid Neitz20092009AFL16th4180Dean BaileyJames McDonald20102010AFL12th8131Dean BaileyJames McDonald20112011AFL13th8131Dean BaileyTodd VineyBrad Green20122012AFL16th4180Mark NeeldJack GrimesJack Trengove20132013AFL17th2200Mark NeeldNeil CraigJack GrimesJack Trengove20142014AFL17th4180Paul RoosJack GrimesNathan Jones20152015AFL13th7150Paul RoosNathan Jones20162016AFL11th10120Paul RoosNathan Jones20172017AFL9th12100Simon GoodwinNathan JonesJack Viney20182018AFL5th1480Won Elimination Final (Geelong) 75–46Won semi-final (Hawthorn) 104–71Lost preliminary final (West Coast) 121–55Simon GoodwinNathan JonesJack Viney20192019AFL17th5170Simon GoodwinNathan JonesJack Viney20202020AFL9th980Simon GoodwinMax Gawn20212021AFL1st1741Won Qualifying Final (Brisbane) 134–45Won Preliminary Final (Geelong) 125–42Won Grand Final (Western) 140–66Simon GoodwinMax Gawn20222022AFL2nd1660Lost Qualifying Final (Sydney) 91–69Lost semi-final (Brisbane) 92–79Simon GoodwinMax Gawn20232023AFL4th1670Lost Qualifying Final (Collingwood) 60–53Lost semi-final (Carlton) 73–71Simon GoodwinMax Gawn20242024AFL14th11120Simon GoodwinMax Gawn20252025AFL14th7160Simon GoodwinMax Gawn2026*2026AFL6th1260Steven KingMax Gawn
Notes
All-time win–loss records
LeagueWinsLossesDrawsWin %PremiershipsVFA (1877–1896)20116855.5390 premiershipsVFL/AFL (1897–2025) home-and-away season1131133520.45513 premierships10 minor premiershipsVFL/AFL (1897–2025) finals57462.543All-time results (1877–2025)1389154977.461
Footnotes
References