4 - Melbourne finishes its frustrating 2011 season with a loss against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval - the first AFL premiership match played at the venue. The Demons lose by eight points. Melbourne ends its 2011 season in 13^th position with eight wins, one draw and 13 losses.

 

12 - After much speculation all season, Tom Scully informs Melbourne he is headed for Greater Western Sydney. Club vice-president Don McLardy says Scully leaves for “an unprecedented offer in AFL history”. Chief executive Cameron Schwab says Scully’s departure is like a “black cloud” lifted from the club. Schwab adds that Melbourne will gain maximum compensation for Scully’s departure. Later that day, Melbourne announces the re-signings of Cale Morton and Stef Martin for 2012-13.

 

13 - Just one day after losing Tom Scully to GWS, the AFL announces Melbourne will receive two first round selections in the NAB AFL Draft. One pick can be activated after the club's first selection in any draft between 2012 and 2015. The other mid-first-round pick, when activated, will be placed in the draft behind the clubs who missed that year's finals.

 

14 - General manager of list management Tim Harrington says “the compensatory picks are a valuable commodity because of the flexibility that they provide the club”.

 

17 - Melbourne announces Mark Neeld as its new senior coach. The 40-year-old former Geelong and Richmond player and Collingwood assistant coach signs a three-year deal with Melbourne. Neeld says: “I simply want to coach the team that is the hardest to play against in the AFL”.

 

20 - The Demons name Dave Misson as its new elite performance manager. Misson is regarded as one of the finest fitness coaches in Australian sport. Misson joins the Demons after a four-year stint at St Kilda. Earlier that day, Melbourne announces the departure of Mark Williams, Scott West and Joel Hocking.

 

21 - Chris Connolly becomes general manager of club development - a newly-created position - and Josh Mahoney, who was forward coach, takes over as football manager. Connolly was general manager of football. Brian Royal takes over as midfield coach, after guiding the backline in 2010. Aaron Greaves is named midfield assistant coach, after coaching Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup.

 

23 - Brent Moloney caps off an outstanding season, winning his first Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy. Moloney wins the club best and fairest from Jared Rivers, James Frawley, Nathan Jones and Jack Trengove. New senior coach Mark Neeld addresses the Melbourne faithful for the first time. He says: “I figured I got here doing it my way, so I’m just going to keep doing it my way.”

 

26 - Melbourne is allocated a total of $9.1 million from 2012-16, after the AFL announces its $1.1 billion club funding and equalisation strategy to to ensure the viability and competitiveness of the 18 AFL clubs during the next five years.

 

27 - Dual premiership player and two-time best and fairest winner Stuart Spencer passes away. He was aged 79. Spencer played in Melbourne’s 1955-56 flags and also won the club champion in those seasons.

 

28 - The Demons announce former Richmond coach and Brisbane Lions assistant Jade Rawlings as its new backline coach. The Dees also appoint former Werribee coach Paul Satterley as its development forward line coach.

 

29 - Melbourne wins the services of former Adelaide coach Neil Craig, who joins the club as director of sports performance. Craig, who coached the Crows to 92 wins from 166 matches from 2004-11, was strongly pursued by several AFL clubs and other non-AFL organisations. Craig said: “In Mark Neeld I see a coach that has a clear vision and I wanted to be part of this coaching group that will work really hard to give the members and supporters what they have been craving for."

 

 

3 - Just two days after playing in a losing grand final, Leigh Brown is named Melbourne’s forward line coach. Brown, who played in Collingwood’s 2010 premiership, retired with 246 matches to his name after playing with North Melbourne, Fremantle and the Magpies.

 

10 - Club general manager of list management Tim Harrington says at the start of trade week that Melbourne will focus on luring a 17-year-old from the Greater Western Sydney trade incentive scheme.

 

11 - Melbourne names former Bulldog Andrew Nichol as its backline coach. Nichol coached the under 16 Vic Metro Metro team and was assistant coach for Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup in 2011.

 

12 - Melbourne general manager of list management Tim Harrington says it was in the best interests of the club to step away from a deal to secure highly-rated youngsters Jaeger O’Meara or Brad Crouch. He said:

“Early in the week, the focus on the week was on the 17-year-old trading scheme. We were strongly involved in that, but we also had a well considered walk away position. There was a point where we didn’t want to go any further to achieve these deals.”

 

13 - Brad Green signs on for the 2012 season. Green, who was named captain in 2011, will line up for his 13^th AFL season, after he was drafted at No.19 in the 1999 AFL Draft. The 30-year-old said:  “I’m excited to be at the club. We’ve got a lot of hard work to do over the pre-season, but I’m looking forward to getting it started and working with the likes of Mark Neeld, Neil Craig and Dave Misson.”

 

13 - The Demons confirm they are targeting Brisbane Lions forward/ruckman Mitch Clark. “We are definitely interested in the possibility of Mitch Clark coming to the club. Late yesterday (Wednesday), I contacted [Brisbane Lions national talent manager] Robbie Kerr to express our interest,” Melbourne general manager of list management Tim Harrington says.

 

14 - Melbourne quartet Brad Green, James Frawley, Colin Sylvia and Jack Trengove are named in the Australian squad for the upcoming International Rules Series against Ireland at Etihad Stadium (October 28) and Metricon Stadium (November 4).

 

15 - Just one day after informing the football fraternity that he wants to join Fremantle, former Lion Mitch Clark stunningly joins Melbourne. The Demons secure Clark in exchange for selection No.12. The deal is done just before 10pm Melbourne time.

 

17 - General manager of list management Tim Harrington says Melbourne “stuck to their plan and persevered” with pursuing former Lion and new Demon Mitch Clark. Harrington says: “We had targeted specific objectives and we had a course of action where we thought ‘this is how we’ll play it’. It’s no secret that we have a real need for a big-bodied presence in our forward line to compliment a range of players we have in our forward line.”