1961

Coach: Norm Smith
Captain: Ron Barassi
Finishing Position: 2nd
Best and Fairest: Ron Barassi
Leading Goalkicker: Robert B Johnson (36)
Best First Year Player: Brian Roet

The Demons failed to finish on top of the ladder for the first time since 1954. They were thrown into a finals series against Hawthorn, St Kilda and Footscray - sides that had won a grand total of one premiership between them.

At the end of the year the players went on a trip to New Zealand.

Round	Opposition	Result
1	Fitzroy	WIN
2	Hawthorn	LOSS
3	Essendon	WIN
4	St. Kilda	LOSS
5	Geelong	WIN
6	Footscray	WIN
7	Carlton	WIN
8	Collingwood	WIN
9	South Melbourne	WIN
10	North Melbourne	WIN
11	Richmond	WIN
12	Fitzroy	DRAW
13	Hawthorn	LOSS
14	Essendon	LOSS
15	St. Kilda	LOSS
16	Geelong	WIN
17	Footscray	WIN
18	Carlton	WIN
SF	Hawthorn	LOSS
PF	Footscray	LOSS

Ladder

	W	D	L	%	P
Hawthorn	14	0	4	125.1	56
Melbourne	12	1	5	131.2	50
St. Kilda	11	0	7	117.1	44
Footscray	11	0	7	109.7	44
Fitzroy	10	1	7	116.8	42
Geelong	10	1	7	100.4	42
Essendon	9	1	8	109.5	38
Carlton	9	0	9	96.5	36
Collingwood	5	1	12	84.8	22
Richmond	5	0	13	78.9	20
South Melbourne	5	0	13	72.2	20
North Melbourne	4	1	13	79.1	18