1978

Coach: Denis Jones
Captain: Greg Wells
Finishing Position: 12th (last)
Best and Fairest: Garry Baker
Leading Goalkicker: Henry Coles (33)
Best First Year Player: Peter Thorne
Major Sponsor: Mayne Nickless

Matches	Ladder	Playing List	Night Series	Best and Fairest	Reserves	Under 19s	Tribunal

Bob Skilton exited as coach and was replaced by former player Denis Jones who came straight off the Committee. He brought fellow Norm Smith era players Ian Thorogood, Colin Wilson and Tony Bull as assistants but his sole season in charge was a disaster and the side finished last again. He was dispatched as coach at the end of the years, just one year into a two year contract.

The major rule change of the season was that the 19th and 20th men were made interchange players and allowed to leave and enter the field at will but the rule failed to have any positive effects on the Demon side who blooded 12 new players and used 41 for the season.

In June, Melbourne was one of six clubs charged by the VFL with interviewing Fitzroy player Graeme Allen without his club's permission. They were not fined.

Twelve straight losses in the middle of the season contributed to another wooden spoon and officials and players were forced to hold a conference to discuss the on-field performance after the eighth consecutive loss, an 89 point thrashing by Carlton in Round 15. After kicking two goals in that loss to the Blues, Secretary Ray Manley admitted that the immediate goal of the club was to win an Under 19s premiership the next year, with the aim of building the side's foundation before recruiting players to compliment them.

Supporters were scathing in letters and phone calls to the club and chairman Jim Mitchell said "I don't suppose I can blame them". Even coach Jones admitted that there were five players in his team that weren't up to league standards. By conceding over 100 points in 20 of 22 matches they set a record which was to be equalled in 1981.

When Wayne Reid replaced John Mitchell as club president he promised a review of all coaching positions, and within three weeks Jones was out of a job. He claimed to have resigned, but either way he wouldn't go on to coach a second season. Melbourne were desperate to appoint Leigh Matthews as playing coach. They approached him, illegally in the eyes of Hawthorn who reported them to the VFL, then successfully set their sights on Carl Ditterich to take the role. The Hawks also refused permission for Melbourne to interview former coach John Kennedy for the job.

Practice Matches

Opposition	Result	Score
Collingwood	LOSS	100-162
Richmond	LOSS	122-158

AMCO-Herald Cup

Round	Opposition	Result	Score
1	St. Kilda	LOSS	57-96

Premiership Season

Round	Opposition	Result	Score
1	Hawthorn	LOSS	68-147
2	Fitzroy	WIN	167-157
3	Carlton	LOSS	85-98
4	Footscray	WIN	127-120
5	Richmond	LOSS	59-130
6	St. Kilda	LOSS	141-204
7	Geelong	WIN	139-126
8	North Melbourne	LOSS	61-137
9	Essendon	LOSS	60-102
10	South Melbourne	LOSS	92-162
11	Collingwood	LOSS	67-127
12	Hawthorn	LOSS	108-128
13	Fitzroy	LOSS	61-141
14	Footscray	LOSS	59-127
15	Carlton	LOSS	26-115
16	Richmond	LOSS	93-121
17	St. Kilda	LOSS	89-141
18	Geelong	LOSS	95-101
19	North Melbourne	LOSS	61-174
20	Essendon	WIN	136-130
21	South Melbourne	WIN	106-85
22	Collingwood	LOSS	125-156

Ladder

	W	D	L	%	P
North Melbourne	16	0	6	120.9	64
Hawthorn	16	0	6	117.7	64
Collingwood	15	0	7	113.3	60
Carlton	14	0	8	116.8	56
Geelong	12	0	10	102.3	48
St. Kilda	11	1	10	93.1	46
Richmond	10	1	11	102.9	42
South Melbourne	9	0	13	100.3	36
Fitzroy	8	0	14	96.5	32
Essendon	8	0	14	94.3	32
Footscray	7	0	15	90.6	28
Melbourne	5	0	17	69.1	20

Playing List

Number	Player	Games	Goals
1	Garry Baker	22	12
2	Robert Flower	22	18
3	Barry Tippett	6	1
4	Tony Sullivan	11	0
5	Graham Hunnibell	4	1
6	Ross Brewer	13	21
7	Barry Denny	13	3
8	Peter Johnston	19	31
9	Laurie Fowler	15	1
10	Craig McKellar	2	0
10	Ken Roberts	11	16
11	Greg Wells	20	17
12	Barry Norsworthy	13	12
13	Henry Coles	21	33
14	Michael Byrne	8	4
15	Phil Seaton	9	3
16	Robert Walters	3	5
17	Shane Grambeau	17	0
18	Maurice Wingate	13	3
19	Ray Biffin	12	25
20	Graham Gaunt	12	0
22	Ken Whitfort	3	3
23	Shane Fitzsimmons	17	4
24	Kelvin Richards	3	0
26	Mark McKeon	6	0
27	Des O'Dwyer	1	1
27	Colin Graham	5	3
28	Anthony Dullard	19	6
29	Andrew Moir	18	13
30	Peter Hamilton	9	1
31	Peter Garratt	1	0
33	Tony May	2	1
34	Tom Flower	9	9
35	Steven Smith	22	17
36	Gary Cooke	7	3
40	Peter Thorne	8	9
41	Chris Woodman	8	4
43	Greg Hutchison	21	6
44	David Code	6	1
47	Paul Thompson	6	0
49	Mick Rea	3	1

Best and Fairest

	Player	Votes
1st	Garry Baker	126
2nd	Greg Wells	96
3rd	Robbie Flower	89
4th	Henry Coles	87
5th	Tony Dullard	66
6th	Shane Fitzsimmons	42
7th	Laurie Fowler	38
8th	Steven Smith	36
9th	Shane Grambeau	27
10th	Graham Gaunt	23
11th	Peter Johnston	22
12th	Tom Flower	21
13th	Maurice Wingate	15
14th	Tony Sullivan	12
14th	Peter Thorne	12
16th	Peter Hamilton	11
17th	Barry Norsworthy	10
18th	Michael Byrne	8
18th	Ken Roberts	8
20th	Greg Hutchison	7
21st	Ross Brewer	6
21st	Phil Seaton	6
23rd	Barry Denny	5
24th	Ray Biffin	4
24th	David Code	4
26th	Barry Tippett	3
27th	Andrew Moir	2
28th	Gary Cooke	1
28th	Mark McKeon	1
28th	Chris Woodman	1

Other Awards
Redlegs Trophy - Tom Flower

Tribunal

Round	Player	Charge	Sanction
Round 4 Reserves	Mark Alves	Striking	Unknown
Round 5 Reserves	Peter Hamilton	Striking	Unknown
Round 6	Ray Biffin	Striking	Not Guilty
Round 11	Henry Coles	Abusive Language	1 match
Round 14	Ken Roberts	Striking	Not Guilty
Round 14	Ken Roberts	Striking	2 matches
Round 15	Paul Thompson	Striking	Not Guilty
Round 18 Reserves	Barry Tippett	Striking	Unknown

Reserves

1978 Reserves Season
Best and Fairest - Chris Woodman
Second Best and Fairest - Robert Walters
Special Awards - David Code, Mick Rea, Michael Giulieri

Under 19s

Best and Fairest - Phillip Mehrten
Second Best and Fairest - Jeff Chapman
Special Awards - Stephen Bickford, Peter Maynard, Geoff Hayes

Lists
Season Records

Media
Age - 28/06/1978, 18/07/1978, 20/07/1978, 15/08/1978, 13/09/1978, 14/09/1978, 29/11/1978, 13/12/1978
Herald - 18/07/1978
Inside Football - 08/03/1979