Years: 1898 - 2005
AKA: Optus Oval, MC Labor Park
First VFL game - Round 9, 1898 vs Carlton
Last game - Round 9, 2005 vs Carlton
First women's game - 2017 AFLW Practice Match vs Carlton
First AFLW game: Round 2, 2017 vs Collingwood
Originally home to Carlton, Fitzroy, Hawthorn and North Melbourne all had stints as tenants at the ground - and even the Demons were forced to play low drawing home games there in the early 2000s.
During the early 1900s the ground was known as Princes Oval.
In 2004 chairman Paul Gardner suggested that Optus Oval might become the permanent training base for the club, but nothing materialised of his plan.
Melbourne was the last club to win a premiership match at the venue, in Round 9, 2005.
AFL
| Wins | Draws | Losses_ | %__ | |
| 45 | 2 | 78 | 36.80 | |
Biggest Win
| Margin | Round | Opponent | ||
| 1 | 131 | Round 2, 1991 | Fitzroy | |
| 2 | 77 | Round 14, 1925 | Carlton | |
| 3 | 43 | Round 2, 1956 | Carlton | |
| 4 | 39 | Round 15, 1983 | Carlton | |
| 5 | 38 | Round 15, 1983 | Carlton | |
| 6 | 37 | Round 8, 1965 | Carlton | |
| 7 | 34 | Round 4, 2002 | West Coast | |
| 8 | 33 | Round 4, 1924 | Carlton | |
| 9 | 29 | Round 16, 1904 | Carlton | |
| 10 | 28 | Round 8, 1957 | Carlton | |
| 10 | 28 | Round 10, 1963 | Carlton | |
Highest Score
| Score | Round | Opponent | ||
| 1 | 27.18.180 | Round 2, 1991 | Fitzroy | |
| 2 | 21.11.137 | Round 4, 2002 | West Coast | |
| 3 | 18.14.122 | Round 14, 1925 | Carlton | |
| 4 | 18.9.117 | Round 15, 2001 | Carlton | |
| 5 | 16.20.116 | Round 4, 1940 | Carlton | |
| 6 | 16.19.115 | Round 5, 1942 | South Melbourne | |
| 6 | 17.13.115 | Round 8, 1988 | Fitzroy | |
| 8 | 17.10.112 | Round 17, 1994 | Hawthorn | |
| 9 | 16.15.111 | Round 15, 1982 | Carlton | |
| 10 | 15.20.110 | Round 9, 2005 | Carlton | |
Biggest Loss
| Margin | Round | Opponent | ||
| 1 | 106 | Round 6, 1996 | West Coast | |
| 2 | 89 | Round 5, 1919 | Carlton | |
| 3 | 86 | Round 22, 1986 | Carlton | |
| 4 | 85 | Round 11, 1970 | Carlton | |
| 4 | 85 | Round 11, 1986 | Hawthorn | |
| 6 | 79 | Round 1, 1978 | Hawthorn | |
| 6 | 79 | Round 11, 1982 | Hawthorn | |
| 8 | 68 | Round 2, 1985 | Hawthorn | |
| 9 | 65 | Round 12, 1910 | Carlton | |
| 10 | 64 | Round 8, 1931 | Carlton | |
| 10 | 64 | Round 8, 1999 | Western Bulldogs | |
Lowest Score
| Score | Round | Opponent | ||
| 1 | 2.4.16 | Round 17, 1899 | Carlton | |
| 2 | 2.8.20 | Round 13, 1905 | Carlton | |
| 3 | 3.4.22 | Round 3, 1900 | Carlton | |
| 4 | 3.8.26 | Round 17, 1984 | Carlton | |
| 5 | 3.10.28 | Round 9, 1898 | Carlton | |
| 6 | 4.6.30 | Round 14, 1909 | Carlton | |
| 7 | 4.7.31 | Round 11, 1908 | Carlton | |
| 8 | 5.4.34 | Round 5, 1919 | Carlton | |
| 8 | 4.10.34 | Round 14, 1987 | Fitzroy | |
| 8 | 4.10.34 | Round 13, 1904 | Carlton | |
Most goals in a game
| Goals | Player | Game | ||
| 1 | 13 | Harry Davie | 1925 | |
| 2 | 8 | Darren Bennett | Round 2, 1991 | |
| 2 | 8 | Allen Jakovich | 1991 | |
| 4 | 7 | Robert McKenzie | 1948 | |
| 4 | 7 | Allen Jakovich | 1994 | |
| 6 | 8 times | |||
AFLW
| Wins | Draws | Losses_ | %__ | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 100 | |
Biggest Win
| Margin | Round | Opponent | ||
| 1 | 42 | Round 5, 2022 spring season | Carlton | |
| 2 | 35 | Round 6, 2018 | Carlton | |
| 3 | 21 | Qualifying Final, 2022 spring season | Adelaide | |
| 4 | 19 | Round 2, 2017 | Collingwood | |
Highest Score
| Score | Round | Opponent | ||
| 1 | 8.9.57 | Round 6, 2018 | Carlton | |
| 2 | 7.8.50 | Round 5, 2022 spring season | Carlton | |
| 3 | 7.6.48 | Qualifying Final, 2022 spring season | Adelaide | |
| 4 | 7.2.44 | Round 2, 2017 | Collingwood | |
Media
Argus - 29/07/1912