HOW DID YOU FARE with club historian Lynda Carroll’s trivia? Check the answers here
1960s
1 Where did Melbourne play exhibition matches at the end of 1961? Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand
2 Of which honour is Brian Dixon the sole holder as a Melbourne player, having attained it in 1961? The Tassie Medal, as Best and Fairest in the Australian National Football League Carnival
3 How many victories did Melbourne have against Geelong in exhibition matches in the US at the end of 1963? Two - one in Honolulu, and one in San Francisco
4 Hassa Mann is the only Melbourne player who kicked goals in both the 1960 and 1964 premiership wins. In which game did he score the most goals? 1960 - he kicked two, with just the one in 1964
5 Which two 1959 debutants were in leadership positions at Melbourne after Ron Barassi’s departure at the end of 1964? Two - Hassa Mann as captain, and Bryan Kenneally as vice captain
6 What was the game being played by Melbourne in the weekend following the short-lived sacking of Norm Smith in 1965? They were playing North Melbourne, at Coburg
7 Who was John Beckwith’s assistant coach when he took the reins from Norm Smith at the end of 1968? Ian Ridley
8 Making his senior debut in 1968, what was Greg Parke’s occupation outside the football field? He was a policeman
9 Melbourne won just three games in 1969 - against which sides? Fitzroy, Footscray and Carlton
10 What honour did ‘Tassie’ Johnson achieve in Round 16, 1969? He became the first Tasmanian to play 200 VFL games
1970s
1 When did Melbourne play its first game at the new Waverley ground? Round Five, 1970 - an 8 point loss to Collingwood
2 Legendary Secretary Jim Cardwell served the Club with distinction throughout three decades - at the end of which season did he retire? 1975
3 Who was Melbourne’s Under 17s Best and Fairest winner in 1972? Robert Flower
4 Which legend of the game served as Melbourne’s ruck coach heading into the 1973 season? Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer
5 What was Gary Hardeman’s highest finish in the Brownlow? Second, in 1974
6 In which year did Melbourne adopt royal blue in place of its traditional navy blue? 1975
7 What guernsey number did Phil Carman wear when playing his one season with Melbourne in 1979? 31
8 Which team was the opponent when Robert Flower made his long awaited senior debut for Melbourne, on the MCG in Round 10, 1973? Geelong
9 Where did Carl Ditterich play in 1976? St Kilda
10 What was Melbourne’s highest finish on the ladder for any season during the 1970s? Sixth, in 1976
1980s
1 Which Melbourne side won a premiership in 1981? The Under 19s
2 After Adrian Battiston won the Morrish Medal in 1981, which Melbourne players won it in 1982 and 1983? Les Bamblett (1982) and Greg Healy (1983)
3 Gerard Healy won the Best and Fairest in 1984, with brother Greg winning it in 1986. Who won it in 1985? Danny Hughes
4 What was special about Jim Stynes’ Round 17 game against Geelong in 1987? It was the first of a decade-long run of consecutive matches
5 How many night/pre-season premierships did Melbourne win in the 1980s, and when were they won? Two, in 1987 and 1989
6 In 1987, Melbourne returned to the navy blue, and looked set to see Robert Flower off in style. The finals started off brilliantly, with emphatic victories over North Melbourne and Sydney. Which player was playing his 50th game in the first semi-final win over the Swans? Graeme Yeats
7 Who was Melbourne’s first pick in the inaugural draft held by the VFL at the end of 1986? Steven Febey
8 Melbourne had just two multiple goal kickers in its 1988 Grand Final loss to Hawthorn. Who were they, and how many goals did they each kick? Garry Lyon and David Williams, who kicked two goals apiece
9 Melbourne continued its unbeaten overseas form at the end of 1989, winning exhibition matches in which cities? Toronto and London
10 With how many goals did Darren Bennett lead Melbourne’s goal kicking for the first time in 1989? 34
1990s
1 In what year did Melbourne win the McClelland Trophy as a result of leading the aggregates at all level s at the end of the home and away season? 1990 - for the first time since 1958
2 How many goals did Allen Jakovich kick in Melbourne’s defeat of Essendon in the First Elimination Final of 1991? Eight
3 Jim Stynes was a worthy Brownlow Medal winner in 1991, his 25 votes well ahead of second placed Craig Turley with 20 votes. Who finished one vote behind Turley for a hard fought third place? Garry Hocking from Geelong
4 Who was Melbourne’s first Rising Star nominee, in Round Six, 1993? David Neitz
5 Garry Lyon is renowned for having kicked ten goals in Melbourne’s 1994 first semi-final victory over Footscray. Who kicked the next highest amount of goals for Melbourne in that game? Brett Lovett, with three
6 Who retired to give rookie Russell Robertson the chance to make his senior debut in Round 20, 1997? Dean Irving
7 Where did Melbourne play to start the 1998 pre-season with a win over the Swans? Wellington, New Zealand
8 When did injury bring Jim Stynes’ record run of 244 consecutive games to an end? The Round Four, 1998 game against Carlton at Optus Oval
9 How many places did Melbourne rise on the ladder from 1997 to make the 1998 finals? Twelve
10 How many votes were between David Schwarz as Best and Fairest in 1999, and Shane Woewodin in second place? One - Schwarz finished on 271 to Woewodin’s 270
Now
1 By how many points did Melbourne defeat North Melbourne in the 2000 Second Preliminary Final to make the Grand Final against Essendon? 50
2 How many goals did David Neitz kick to win the Coleman Medal in 2002? 75
3 How many votes did Shane Woewodin score to win the 2000 Brownlow Medal? 24
4 Who was Melbourne’s leading goal kicker in 2005, after David Neitz had dominated the tally for the preceding three seasons? Russell Robertson, with 73 goals
5 When was Melbourne’s most recent draw? Round One, 2011, against Sydney at the MCG
6 How many games did Melbourne’s 2011 Best and Fairest - Brent Moloney - play with Geelong in 2003 and 2004? 23
7 What two guernsey numbers has Clint Bartram worn in his time at Melbourne? 19 and 3
8 How many Melbourne players were recorded as being over 200 cm tall at the start of the 2011 season? Three - Jack Fitzpatrick (200 cm), Max Gawn (208 cm) and Jake Spencer (203 cm)
9 What guernsey number did Joel Macdonald wear while playing at the Brisbane Lions? No. 26
10 Who finished fifth in Melbourne’s Best and Fairest in 2011? Jack Trengove
1960s
1 Where did Melbourne play exhibition matches at the end of 1961? Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand
2 Of which honour is Brian Dixon the sole holder as a Melbourne player, having attained it in 1961? The Tassie Medal, as Best and Fairest in the Australian National Football League Carnival
3 How many victories did Melbourne have against Geelong in exhibition matches in the US at the end of 1963? Two - one in Honolulu, and one in San Francisco
4 Hassa Mann is the only Melbourne player who kicked goals in both the 1960 and 1964 premiership wins. In which game did he score the most goals? 1960 - he kicked two, with just the one in 1964
5 Which two 1959 debutants were in leadership positions at Melbourne after Ron Barassi’s departure at the end of 1964? Two - Hassa Mann as captain, and Bryan Kenneally as vice captain
6 What was the game being played by Melbourne in the weekend following the short-lived sacking of Norm Smith in 1965? They were playing North Melbourne, at Coburg
7 Who was John Beckwith’s assistant coach when he took the reins from Norm Smith at the end of 1968? Ian Ridley
8 Making his senior debut in 1968, what was Greg Parke’s occupation outside the football field? He was a policeman
9 Melbourne won just three games in 1969 - against which sides? Fitzroy, Footscray and Carlton
10 What honour did ‘Tassie’ Johnson achieve in Round 16, 1969? He became the first Tasmanian to play 200 VFL games
1970s
1 When did Melbourne play its first game at the new Waverley ground? Round Five, 1970 - an 8 point loss to Collingwood
2 Legendary Secretary Jim Cardwell served the Club with distinction throughout three decades - at the end of which season did he retire? 1975
3 Who was Melbourne’s Under 17s Best and Fairest winner in 1972? Robert Flower
4 Which legend of the game served as Melbourne’s ruck coach heading into the 1973 season? Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer
5 What was Gary Hardeman’s highest finish in the Brownlow? Second, in 1974
6 In which year did Melbourne adopt royal blue in place of its traditional navy blue? 1975
7 What guernsey number did Phil Carman wear when playing his one season with Melbourne in 1979? 31
8 Which team was the opponent when Robert Flower made his long awaited senior debut for Melbourne, on the MCG in Round 10, 1973? Geelong
9 Where did Carl Ditterich play in 1976? St Kilda
10 What was Melbourne’s highest finish on the ladder for any season during the 1970s? Sixth, in 1976
1980s
1 Which Melbourne side won a premiership in 1981? The Under 19s
2 After Adrian Battiston won the Morrish Medal in 1981, which Melbourne players won it in 1982 and 1983? Les Bamblett (1982) and Greg Healy (1983)
3 Gerard Healy won the Best and Fairest in 1984, with brother Greg winning it in 1986. Who won it in 1985? Danny Hughes
4 What was special about Jim Stynes’ Round 17 game against Geelong in 1987? It was the first of a decade-long run of consecutive matches
5 How many night/pre-season premierships did Melbourne win in the 1980s, and when were they won? Two, in 1987 and 1989
6 In 1987, Melbourne returned to the navy blue, and looked set to see Robert Flower off in style. The finals started off brilliantly, with emphatic victories over North Melbourne and Sydney. Which player was playing his 50th game in the first semi-final win over the Swans? Graeme Yeats
7 Who was Melbourne’s first pick in the inaugural draft held by the VFL at the end of 1986? Steven Febey
8 Melbourne had just two multiple goal kickers in its 1988 Grand Final loss to Hawthorn. Who were they, and how many goals did they each kick? Garry Lyon and David Williams, who kicked two goals apiece
9 Melbourne continued its unbeaten overseas form at the end of 1989, winning exhibition matches in which cities? Toronto and London
10 With how many goals did Darren Bennett lead Melbourne’s goal kicking for the first time in 1989? 34
1990s
1 In what year did Melbourne win the McClelland Trophy as a result of leading the aggregates at all level s at the end of the home and away season? 1990 - for the first time since 1958
2 How many goals did Allen Jakovich kick in Melbourne’s defeat of Essendon in the First Elimination Final of 1991? Eight
3 Jim Stynes was a worthy Brownlow Medal winner in 1991, his 25 votes well ahead of second placed Craig Turley with 20 votes. Who finished one vote behind Turley for a hard fought third place? Garry Hocking from Geelong
4 Who was Melbourne’s first Rising Star nominee, in Round Six, 1993? David Neitz
5 Garry Lyon is renowned for having kicked ten goals in Melbourne’s 1994 first semi-final victory over Footscray. Who kicked the next highest amount of goals for Melbourne in that game? Brett Lovett, with three
6 Who retired to give rookie Russell Robertson the chance to make his senior debut in Round 20, 1997? Dean Irving
7 Where did Melbourne play to start the 1998 pre-season with a win over the Swans? Wellington, New Zealand
8 When did injury bring Jim Stynes’ record run of 244 consecutive games to an end? The Round Four, 1998 game against Carlton at Optus Oval
9 How many places did Melbourne rise on the ladder from 1997 to make the 1998 finals? Twelve
10 How many votes were between David Schwarz as Best and Fairest in 1999, and Shane Woewodin in second place? One - Schwarz finished on 271 to Woewodin’s 270
Now
1 By how many points did Melbourne defeat North Melbourne in the 2000 Second Preliminary Final to make the Grand Final against Essendon? 50
2 How many goals did David Neitz kick to win the Coleman Medal in 2002? 75
3 How many votes did Shane Woewodin score to win the 2000 Brownlow Medal? 24
4 Who was Melbourne’s leading goal kicker in 2005, after David Neitz had dominated the tally for the preceding three seasons? Russell Robertson, with 73 goals
5 When was Melbourne’s most recent draw? Round One, 2011, against Sydney at the MCG
6 How many games did Melbourne’s 2011 Best and Fairest - Brent Moloney - play with Geelong in 2003 and 2004? 23
7 What two guernsey numbers has Clint Bartram worn in his time at Melbourne? 19 and 3
8 How many Melbourne players were recorded as being over 200 cm tall at the start of the 2011 season? Three - Jack Fitzpatrick (200 cm), Max Gawn (208 cm) and Jake Spencer (203 cm)
9 What guernsey number did Joel Macdonald wear while playing at the Brisbane Lions? No. 26
10 Who finished fifth in Melbourne’s Best and Fairest in 2011? Jack Trengove
