Coach: Col Kinnear
Captain: TBD
Best & Fairest: Bernie Evans
Leading Goalkicker: Phil Poursanidis 40 goals (5th in the competition)
Position: 5th
Premier: Footscray
Round 1: April 2nd 1988
Carlton 17.17.119
Hawthorn 11.12.78
Result: Won by 41 points
Goalkickers: Phil Poursanidis 6, Mark Williams 3, Andrew Phillips 2, Ashley Matthews 2, Paul Starbuck 2, Greg Francis 1, Gerard Butts 1.
Best: Fraser Brown, Mark Williams, Ian Herman, Phil Poursanidis, Luke O'Sullivan.
Round 2: April 9th 1988
Carlton 19.16.130
Fitzroy 17.24.126
Result: Won by 4 points
Goalkickers: Phil Poursanidis 4, Andrew Phillips 4, Andrew McKinnon 2, Luke O'Sullivan 2, Bernie Evans 2, Mark Majerczak 2, Shane Robertson 1, Kevin Dyson 1, Paul Starbuck 1.
Best: Bernie Evans, Mick Kennedy, Andrew Phillips, Paul Starbuck, Jon Dorotich.
Round 3: April 16th 1988
Essendon 9.09.63
Carlton 16.21.117
Result: Won by 54 points
Goalkickers: Phil Poursanidis 3, Mark Majerczak 3, Mark Williams 2, Wayne Harmes 2, Andrew Phillips 2, Ian Herman 1, Kevin Dyson 1, Gerard Butts 1, Bernie Evans 1.
Best: Wayne Harmes, Bernie Evans, Ian Herman, Gerard Butts, Andrew McKinnon, Tom Alvin.
Round 4: April 24th 1988
Sydney 15.15.105
Carlton 17.11.113
Result: Won by 8 points
Goalkickers: Fraser Brown 3, Mark Majerczak 3, Phil Poursanidis 3, Ian Herman 2, Gerard Butts 2, Jamie Dunlop 1, Kevin Dyson 1, Mark Williams 1, Warren McKenzie 1.
Best: Fraser Brown, Mark Majerczak, Warren McKenzie, Gerard Butts.
Round 5: April 30th 1988
Collingwood 11.16.82
Carlton 23.08.146
Result: Won by 64 points
Goalkickers: Phil Poursanidis 6, Ian Herman 4, Mark Majerczak 3, Luke O'Sullivan 2,Andrew Phillips 2, Peter Sartori 2, Shane Robertson 1, Andrew McKinnon 1, Jamie Dunlop 1, Fraser Brown 1.
Best: Phil Poursanidis, Michael Garvey, Mick Kennedy, Ian Herman, Gerard Butts, Fraser Brown.
Round 6: May 7th 1988
Carlton 18.16.124
St Kilda 16.10.106
Result: Won by 18 points
Goalkickers: Mark Williams 6, Shane Robertson 3, David Kernahan 2, Mark Majerczak 2, Fraser Brown 2, Peter Sartori 1, Paul Meldrum 1, Andrew Phillips 1.
Best: Andrew Phillips, Shane Robertson, Mark Williams, Fraser Brown, Ian Aitken, Warren McKenzie.
Round 7: May 14th 1988
Geelong 14.13.97
Carlton 18.19.127
Result: Won by 30 points
Goalkickers: Wayne Harmes 5, Ashley Matthews 3, Simon Minton-Connell 3, David Kernahan 2, Mark Majerczak 2, Paul Meldrum 1, Bernie Evans 1, Mark Williams 1.
Best: Wayne Harmes, Ian Aitken, Paul Meldrum, Simon Minton-Connell, Mark Williams, Brad Shine.
Reports: David Kernahan (Car) & L.Crosby (Gee) reported for striking each other in the third quarter.
Round 8: 21st May, 1988
Nth Melb. 25.15.165
Carlton 14.04.88
Result: Lost by 77 points
Goalkickers: Bernie Evans 3, Phil Poursanidis 2, Mark Williams 2, Simon Minton-Connell 2, Andrew Phillips 1, Shane Robertson 1, Peter Sartori 1, Mil Hanna 1, Fraser Brown 1.
Best: Fraser Brown, Phil Poursanidis, Danny Noonan.
Reports: H.Heatherton (Nth Melb) for striking Phil Poursanidis (Car) with an elbow in 1st quarter.
Round 9: 28th May, 1988
Essendon 21.15.141
Carlton 9.13.67
Result: Lost by 74 points
Goalkickers: Bernie Evans 2, Peter Sartori 2, Phil Poursanidis 1, Mil Hanna 1, Gerard Butts 1, Mark Majerczak 1, Greg Francis 1.
Best: Bernie Evans, Shane Robertson, Mick Kennedy, Mil Hanna.
Round 10: 5th June, 1988
Footscray 10.10.70
Carlton 12.09.81
Result: Won by 11 points
Goalkickers: Peter Sartori 3, Bernie Evans 2, Gerard Butts 2, Luke O'Sullivan 1, Jamie Dunlop 1, Mark Williams 1, Mark Majerczak 1, Andrew McKinnon 1.
Best: Jamie Dunlop, Peter Sartori, Mil Hanna, Mark Williams, Shane Robertson, Kevin Dyson.
Round 11: 11th June, 1988
Fitzroy 20.20.140
Carlton 12.09.81
Result: Won by 11 points
Goalkickers: Phil Poursanidis 2, Peter Sartori 2, Mark Majerczak 2, Bernie Evans 1, Tom Alvin 1, Luke O'Sullivan 1, Shane Robertson 1, Gerard Butts 1, Fraser Brown 1.
Best: Tom Alvin, Danny Noonan, Peter White, Bernie Evans.
Round 12: 17th June, 1988
Richmond 13.10.88
Carlton 13.20.98
Result: Won by 10 points
Goalkickers: Phil Poursanidis 4, Mark Williams 2, Luke O'Sullivan 2, Mark Majerczak 2, Wayne Harmes 1, Andrew McKinnon 1, Ian Herman 1.
Best: Shane Robertson, Steve Da Rui, Wayne Harmes, Danny Noonan, Luke O'Sullivan, Phil Poursanidis.
Round 13: 24th June, 1988
Carlton 18.09.117
Melbourne 14.08.92
Result: Won by 25 points
Goalkickers: Tony Egan 5, Wayne Harmes 3, Ian Herman 2, Andrew Phillips 2, Peter Sartori 2, Gerard Butts 2, Mark Majerczak 1, Fraser Brown 1.
Best: Mil Hanna, Shane Robertson, Ian Herman, Mark Williams, Jamie Dunlop, Tony Egan.
Round 14: 2nd July, 1988
Carlton 16.13.109
Melbourne 13.15.93
Result: Won by 16 points
Goalkickers: Wayne Harmes 5, Ian Aitken 2, Ian Herman 2, Jamie Dunlop 2, Tony Egan 1, Paul Starbuck 1, Mark Williams 1, Gerard Butts 1, Steve Da Rui 1.
Best: Andrew McKinnon, Wayne Harmes, Mark Williams, Shane Robertson, Ken Hunter, Mick Kennedy.
Round 15: 9th July, 1988
St Kilda 10.11.71
Carlton 3.11.29
Result: Lost by 42 points
Goalkickers: Andrew Phillips 1, Steve Da Rui 1, Andrew McKinnon 1.
Best: Andrew McKinnon, Mick Kennedy, Peter White, Andrew Phillips.
Reports: David Kernahan (Car) striking J.Lamb (StK) in the final quarter.
J.Lamb (StK) striking Steve Da Rui (Car) in the final quarter.
Round 16: 16th July, 1988
Carlton 19.19.133
Geelong 12.08.80
Result: Won by 53 points
Goalkickers: Gerard Butts 2, Mark Majerczak 2, Michael Gallagher 2, Bernie Evans 2, Luke O'Sullivan 2, Jamie Dunlop 2, Michael Scicluna 2, Mark Williams 1, Danny Noonan 1, Ken Hunter 1. Kevin Dyson 1, Andrew McKinnon 1.
Best: Mil Hanna, Mark Williams, Bernie Evans, Jamie Dunlop, Danny Noonan, Peter White.
Reports: Jamie Dunlop (Car) for striking D.Bourke (Gee) in the last quarter.
Round 17: 23rd July, 1988
Carlton 10.13.73
Essendon 15.10.100
Result: Lost by 27 points
Goalkickers: Mil Hanna 3, Phil Poursanidis 2, Greg Francis 2, Fraser Brown 1, Luke O'Sullivan 1, Michael Gallagher 1.
Best: Michael Gallagher, Mil Hanna, Ken Hunter, Danny Noonan.
Round 18: 30th July, 1988
Fitzroy 14.10.94
Carlton 26.11.167
Result: Lost by 73 points
Goalkickers: Greg Francis 3, Andrew Phillips 2, Ashley Matthews 2, Peter White 1, Kevin Dyson 1, Luke O'Sullivan 1, Phil Poursanidis 1, Bernie Evans 1, Danny Noonan 1, Mark Majerczak 1.
Best: Luke O'Sullivan, Michael Gallagher, Andrew Phillips, Andrew McKinnon, Bernie Evans.
Round 19: 6th August, 1988
Carlton 15.10.100
Sydney 8.08.56
Result: Won by 44 points
Goalkickers: Luke O'Sullivan 3, Peter White 2, Ken Hunter 2, Kevin Dyson 2, Greg Francis 2, Damian Munivrana 1, Jamie Marra 1, Phil Poursanidis 1, Mark Majerczak 1.
Best: Andrew McKinnon, Michael Garvey, Paul Starbuck, Danny Noonan, Luke O'Sullivan, Fraser Brown.
Round 20: 13th August, 1988
Carlton 13.11.89
Nth Melb 13.22.100
Result: Lost by 11 points
Goalkickers: Ken Hunter 4, Kevin Dyson 2, Bernie Evans 2, Phil Poursanidis 1, Mil Hanna 1, Mark Majerczak 1, Michael Scicluna 1, Andrew McKinnon 1.
Best: Ken Hunter, Andrew McKinnon, Michael Scicluna, Fraser Brown, Paul Starbuck.
Round 21: 20th August, 1988
Collingwood 11.11.77
Carlton 13.14.92
Result: Won by 15 points
Goalkickers: Phil Poursanidis 5, Bernie Evans 3, Luke O'Sullivan 1, Shane Robertson 1, Michael Gallagher 1, Kevin Dyson 1, Andrew Phillips 1.
Best: Jamie Dunlop, Mil Hanna, Bernie Evans, Andrew Phillips, Phil Poursanidis, Andrew McKinnon.
Round 22: 27th August, 1988
Melbourne 7.14.56
Carlton 23.12.150
Result: Won by 94 points
Goalkickers: Simon Minton-Connell 8, Mark Majerczak 5, Paul Starbuck 4, Bernie Evans 3, Michael Gallagher 1, Andrew McKinnon 1, Nick Cox 1.
Best: Bernie Evans, Andrew McKinnon, Mark Majerczak, Andrew Phillips, Simon Minton-Connell, Danny Noonan, Gerard Butts.
Reports: T.Fidge (Mel) striking Kevin Dyson (Car) during the first quarter.
Ladder end of 1988 Reserves Home & Away Season.
| Pos | Team | Wins | Losses | Draws | Points | For | Against | % |
| 1 | Footscray | 19 | 3 | 0 | 76 | 2573 | 1496 | 172.0 |
| 2 | Nth Melb | 17 | 5 | 0 | 68 | 2573 | 1998 | 128.8 |
| 3 | Hawthorn | 15 | 7 | 0 | 60 | 2640 | 2170 | 121.7 |
| 4 | Carlton | 15 | 7 | 0 | 60 | 2277 | 2153 | 105.8 |
| 5 | Essendon | 12 | 9 | 1 | 50 | 2342 | 2077 | 112.8 |
| 6 | Collingwood | 12 | 10 | 0 | 48 | 2125 | 2009 | 105.8 |
| 7 | Fitzroy | 10 | 12 | 0 | 40 | 2545 | 2572 | 99.0 |
| 8 | Richmond | 8 | 14 | 0 | 32 | 2120 | 2578 | 82.2 |
| 9 | Melbourne | 7 | 14 | 1 | 30 | 2031 | 2408 | 84.3 |
| 10 | Geelong | 6 | 15 | 1 | 26 | 2290 | 2494 | 91.8 |
| 11 | St Kilda | 6 | 15 | 1 | 26 | 1943 | 2592 | 75.0 |
| 12 | Swans | 3 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 1891 | 2803 | 67.4 |
1988 Reserves Finals Series
Elimination Final
Carlton 7.13.55
Essendon 17.09.111
Result: Lost by 56 points
Goalkickers: Mark Williams 3, Ken Hunter 1, Kevin Dyson 1, Luke O'Sullivan 1, Paul Starbuck 1.
Best: Fraser Brown, Michael Garvey, Mark Williams, Ken Hunter, Andrew McKinnon.
Qualifying Final
Nth Melb. 26.22.178 d Hawthorn 6.7.43
1st Semi Final
Essendon 13.12.90 d Hawthorn 13.10.88
2nd Semi Final
Footscray 11.14.80 d Nth Melb. 7.11.53
Preliminary Final
North Melbourne 17.15.117 d Essendon 14.8.92
Grand Final
Footscray 17.14.116 d North Melbourne 14.12.96