Demonwiki | 1923

Captain - Coach: Percy Wilson
Finishing Position: 9th (Last)
Best and Fairest: n/a
Leading Goalkicker: Percy Tulloh (24)
Best First Year Player: n/a

Matches	Ladder	Playing List	Tribunal	Seconds

After consecutive sixth place finishes, Melbourne started with three wins in their first four games before losing the next 12 and returning to the bottom of the ladder for the first time since 1919. Two of the wins came against sides that played finals, but injuries crippled them, delivering a fourth VFL wooden spoon. Even a game against in Sydney against their local league ended in defeat.

Before the season New South Wales had proposed an alteration to football's scoring system, with the introduction of a crossbar between the goals. The full six points would only be scored if the ball went over the crossbar and one point if below it. It was supported by some VFL clubs but not adopted.

Bill McClelland and Andrew Manzie were Melbourne's delegates to the VFL. Pre-season nominations for the committee came from KT Batten, SER Church, CE Couchman, GG Coulter, Robert Ferguson, AL Nichols, CH Parkin, AL Richard, WW Strickland and WFV Sykes. At that General Meeting, members complained that the balance sheet for 1922 was not included in the annual report

One of the stands in the outer at the MCG was rebuilt before the season, and the Melbourne Cricket Club was also forced to spend heavily to prop up their struggling football division. They contributed around £2000 for the year, an increase of nearly £900 over three years. Andrew Manzie was forced to defend the club at the MCC's annual meeting, pointing out that they lacked a local following due to being a "cosmopolitan" club. A member suggested that the football club should be separated from the MCC.

Practice match

Opposition	Result	Score
Oakleigh Juniors	WIN	119-28

Premiership season

Round	Opposition	Result	Score
1	Richmond	LOSS	50-55
2	Geelong	WIN	80-52
3	BYE
4	South Melbourne	WIN	84-49
5	St. Kilda	WIN	85-63
6	Fitzroy	LOSS	70-77
7	Essendon	LOSS	60-74
8	Carlton	LOSS	65-74
9	Collingwood	LOSS	42-76
10	Richmond	LOSS	78-83
11	Geelong	LOSS	56-75
12	BYE
13	South Melbourne	LOSS	41-67
14	St. Kilda	LOSS	49-84
15	Fitzroy	LOSS	46-80
16	Essendon	LOSS	41-98
17	Carlton	LOSS	46-74
18	Collingwood	LOSS	87-138

Ladder

	W	D	L	%	P
Essendon	13	0	3	135.8	52
Fitzroy	11	0	5	115.7	44
South Melbourne	9	0	7	107.3	36
Geelong	9	0	7	104.0	36
Collingwood	8	1	7	109.1	34
St. Kilda	8	0	8	98.7	32
Carlton	6	1	9	84.0	26
Richmond	4	0	12	79.5	16
Melbourne	3	0	13	80.4	12

Exhibition Match

Opponent	Result	Score
New South Wales	LOSS	74-96

Playing list

Number	Player	Games	Goals
1	Bill Allen	1	0
2	Joe Flanagan	12	1
3	Ted Thomas	3	0
4	Tom Elliott	6	1
5	Harry Harker	6	13
6	Bob Abernethy	2	0
7	Mick Anthony	15	1
8	Charlie Lilley	13	0
9	Charlie Streeter	16	0
10	Jack Collins	3	0
11	Dave Elliman	3	2
12	Bob Corbett	16	2
13	Bill Shelton	12	5
14	Jimmy Abernethy	15	10
15	George Haines	13	14
16	Derek Mollison	16	7
17	Bert Chadwick	13	9
18	Percy Tulloh	15	31
19	Harry Coy	11	0
20	Jack Robertson	2	0
20	Alf Wilson	11	0
21	Jack House	2	0
22	Jim Makin	16	1
23	Roy James	2	1
24	Eric Peck	3	0
25	Percy Wilson	11	4
26	Wally Carter	2	0
26	John Lord	3	0
28	Hugh Dunbar	14	5
30	Eric Donaldson	5	0
31	Marcus Glasscock	3	0
34	Vern Moore	7	5
35	Richard Taylor	16	19

Tribunal

Round	Player	Charge	Sanction
Round 4	Ted Thomas	Attempted Kicking	8 matches
Round 7	Joe Flanagan	Striking and Tripping	4 matches
Round 13	Vern Moore	Kicking	5 matches