Coach: Wayne Brittain
Captain: Adrian Gleeson
Best & Fairest: Adrian Gleeson
Position: 7th
Premier: Richmond
Round 1 - 31st March, 1997.
Essendon 14.14.98
Carlton 12.17.89
Result: Lost by 9 Points.
Goalkickers: Andrew Balkwill 3, Sam Smart 2, Justin Madden 2, Brad Pearce 1, Jacob Anstey 1, Shane Whitnall 1, Adam White 1, Trent Hoppner 1.
Best: Adam White, Justin Madden, Ben Nelson, Andrew Balkwill, Adrian Hickmott.
Round 2 - 7th April, 1997.
Nth Melb. 15.16.106
Carlton 12.8.80
Result: Lost by 26 Points.
Goalkickers: Brad Pearce 2, Justin Madden 2, Adam Quinn 2, Anthony Franchina 1, Adrian Gleeson 1, Sam Smart 1, Andrew Balkwill 1, Jacob Anstey 1, Trent Hoppner 1.
Best: David Walls, Ben Nelson, Justin Madden, Brad Pearce, Fraser Brown.
Round 3 - 13th April, 1997.
Carlton 6.11.47
Hawthorn 21.20.146
Result: Lost by 99 Points.
Goalkickers: Luke O'Connell 2, Anthony Parkin 1, Damien Lock 1, Earl Spalding 1, Anthony Franchina 1.
Best: Earl Spalding, Fraser Brown, David Turner, Trent Hoppner.
Round 4 - 19th April, 1997.
Collingwood 16.3.109
Carlton 16.25.121
Result: Won by 12 Points.
Goalkickers: Brad Pearce 4, Earl Spalding 3, Adrian Gleeson 2, Luke O'Sullivan 2, Sam Smart 1, Jacob Anstey 1, Darren Hulme 1, Damien Lock 1, Justin Madden 1.
Best: Luke O'Sullivan, Adrian Gleeson, Ben Nelson, Brad Pearce, Darren Hulme, Adam White.
Round 5 - 27th April, 1997.
Carlton 18.23.131
Geelong 9.4.58
Result: Won by 73 Points.
Goalkickers: Lance Whitnall 7, Adrian Gleeson 5, Darren Hulme 1, David Walls 1, Jacob Anstey 1, Justin Madden 1, Adam White 1, Shane Whitnall 1.
Best: Lance Whitnall, Anthony Franchina, Mil Hanna, Adam White, Damien Lock, Darren Hulme.
Round 6 - 4th May, 1997.
Sydney 21.12.138
Carlton 11.17.83
Result: Lost by 55 Points.
Goalkickers: Adrian Gleeson 3, David Walls 3, Chris Jackson 2, Mark Porter 1, Rohan Welsh 1, Jacob Anstey 1, Adrian Hickmott 1, Sam Smart.
Best: Not Available
Round 7 - 10th May, 1997.
Richmond 24.17.161
Carlton 7.10.52
Result: Lost by 109 Points.
Goalkickers: James Rahilly 2, Mark Porter 1, Adrian Gleeson 1, Rohan Welsh 1, Sam Smart 1, Andrew Balkwill 1.
Best: Darren Hulme, Mark Porter, Damien Lock, James Rahilly, Rohan Welsh.
Round 8 - 18th May, 1997.
Carlton 9.19.73
Hawthorn 18.5.113
Result: Lost by 40 Points.
Goalkickers: Sam Smart 2, Earl Spalding 2, Anthony Franchina 1, Mick McGuane 1, Darren Hulme 1, Adrian Gleeson 1, Matthew Wood 1.
Best: Mark Porter, Sam Smart, Damien Lock, Earl Spalding, Adam Quinn.
Round 9 - 24th May, 1997.
Carlton 18.13.121
Melbourne 11.12.78
Result: Won by 43 Points.
Goalkickers: Rohan Welsh 8, Jordan Doering 5, Darren Hulme 2, Andrew Balkwill 1, David Walls 1, Timothy Clarke 1.
Best: Adrian Gleeson, Rohan Welsh, Mark Porter, Jordan Doering, Darren Hulme, Adam Quinn, Anthony Franchina.
Round 10 - 30th May, 1997.
Carlton Bye
Round 11 - 9th June, 1997.
Nth Melbourne 15.12.102
Carlton 13.16.94
Result: Lost by 8 Points.
Goalkickers: Tony Pucella 4, Earl Spalding 3, Sam Smart 3, Brad Pearce 2, Jacob Anstey 1.
Best: Jacob Anstey, Damien Lock, Anthony Franchina, Mark Porter, Earl Spalding, Cameron Blight.
Round 12 - 15th June, 1997.
St Kilda 12.18.90
Carlton 14.5.89
Result: Lost by 1 Point.
Goalkickers: Anthony Franchina 3, Scott Camporeale 2, Jacob Anstey 2, Jordan Doering 2, Sam Smart 2, Ron De Iulio 1, Justin Madden 1, Andrew Balkwill 1.
Best: Scott Camporeale, Brad Pearce, Damien Lock, Jordan Doering, Jacob Anstey, Ron De Iulio.
Round 13 - 28th June, 1997.
Geelong 14.9.93
Carlton 18.13.121
Result: Won by 28 Points.
Goalkickers: Brad Pearce 3, Darren Hulme 3, Chris Jackson 2, Simon Beaumont 2, David Turner 1, Anthony Franchina 1, Dean Rice 1, David Walls 1, Ben Nelson 1, Rohan Welsh 1, Andrew Balkwill 1, Shane Flynn 1.
Best: Brad Pearce, David Walls, David Turner, Simon Beaumont, Damien Lock, Sam Smart.
Round 14 - 5th July, 1997.
Carlton 9.18.72
Western Bulldogs 10.10.70
Result: Won by 2 Points.
Goalkickers: Matt Clape 2, Darren Hulme 2, Shane Flynn 2, Lance Whitnall 1, David Walls 1, Adrian Gleeson 1.
Best: Not Available.
Round 15 - 12th July, 1997.
Melbourne 8.13.61
Carlton 21.14.140
Result: Won by 79 Points.
Goalkickers: Adam White 5, David Walls 4, Earl Spalding 2, Matt Clape 2, Chris Jackson 1, Damien Lock 1, Justin Madden 1, Sam Smart 1, David Turner 1, Andrew Balkwill 1, Ben Nelson 1, Rohan Welsh 1.
Best: Adrian Gleeson, Mark Porter, David Turner, Mil Hanna, Damien Lock, Adam White.
Round 16 - 19th July, 1997.
Carlton 16.14.110
Essendon 10.9.69
Result: Won by 41 Points.
Goalkickers: Adrian Gleeson 5, Earl Spalding 5, Darren Hulme 3, Shane Flynn 1, David Turner 1, Matt Clape 1.
Best: Matt Clape, Aaron Hamill, Darren Hulme, Damien Lock, Dean Rice, Sam Smart.
Round 17 - 26th July, 1997.
Carlton 15.14.104
Nth Melb. 12.11.83
Result: Won by 21 Points.
Goalkickers: Earl Spalding 5, Lance Whitnall 2, David Walls 2, Sam Smart 1, Adam White 1, Jacob Anstey 1, Shane Flynn 1, Anthony Franchina 1, James Walker 1.
Best: Lance Whitnall, Earl Spalding, Sam Smart, Ben Nelson, Andrew Balkwill, Anthony Franchina.
Round 18 - 3rd August, 1997.
Geelong 24.10.154
Carlton 10.8.68
Result: Lost by 86 Points.
Goalkickers: Earl Spalding 3, George Bakoulas 3, Anthony Franchina 1, Luke O'Connell 1, James Dalton 1, Steve Willoughby 1.
Best: Sam Smart, Anthony Franchina, Jacob Anstey.
Round 19 - 9th August, 1997.
Carlton 18.10.118
Collingwood 12.8.80
Result: Won by 38 Points.
Goalkickers: Rohan Welsh 5, Adrian Gleeson 3, George Bakoulas 2, David Turner 2, Trent Hoppner 2, Paul McMahon 2, David Walls 1, Anthony Franchina 1.
Best: Rohan Welsh, Sam Smart, Anthony Franchina, James Walker, Shane Whitnall, Andrew Balkwill, Shane Flynn.
Round 20 - 16th August, 1997.
Geelong 12.7.79
Carlton 18.10.118
Result: Won by 39 Points.
Goalkickers: Rohan Welsh 5, Adam White 3, Paul McMahon 3, Adrian Gleeson 3, James Walker 1, Sam Smart 1, Jordan Doering 1, Damien Peverill 1.
Best: Mark Porter, Sam Smart, Adrian Gleeson, Jacob Anstey, Rohan Welsh, Trent Hoppner, Chris Jackson.
Round 21 - 23rd August, 1997.
Carlton 18.8.116
Sydney 13.5.83
Result: Won by 33 Points.
Goalkickers: Mil Hanna 4, Jacob Anstey 3, Paul McMahon 3, Craig Black 2, Rohan Welsh 2, Ben Nelson 1, David Walls 1, Adam White 1, Damien Peverill 1.
Best: Jacob Anstey, Andrew Balkwill, Rohan Welsh, Adrian Gleeson, Damien Lock, Ben Nelson, Mil Hanna.
Round 22 - 30th August, 1997.
Carlton - Bye
Ladder end of 1997 Reserves Home & Away Season.
| Pos | Team | Wins | Losses | Draws | Points | For | Against | % |
| 1 | Bulldogs | 15 | 5 | 0 | 60 | 2320 | 1629 | 142.4 |
| 2 | Richmond | 15 | 5 | 0 | 60 | 2027 | 1537 | 131.9 |
| 3 | Sydney | 14 | 6 | 0 | 56 | 2240 | 1777 | 126.1 |
| 4 | St Kilda | 13 | 7 | 0 | 52 | 1888 | 1612 | 117.1 |
| 5 | Hawthorn | 12 | 8 | 0 | 48 | 1883 | 1740 | 108.2 |
| 6 | Nth Melb. | 11 | 9 | 0 | 44 | 1928 | 1836 | 105.1 |
| 7 | Carlton | 11 | 9 | 0 | 44 | 1953 | 1971 | 99.1 |
| 8 | Collingwood | 7 | 13 | 0 | 28 | 1798 | 2015 | 89.2 |
| 9 | Geelong | 6 | 14 | 0 | 24 | 1640 | 2053 | 79.9 |
| 10 | Essendon | 4 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 1488 | 2074 | 71.7 |
| 11 | Melbourne | 2 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 1307 | 2228 | 58.7 |
1997 Reserves Finals Series.
Week 1.
First Elimination Final
Hawthorn 7.21.63 d St Klida 7.13.55
Second Elimination Final
Nth Melbourne 14.6.90 d Sydney 10.15.75
Qualifying Final
Western Bulldogs 21.13.139 d Richmond 12.16.88
Week 2.
First Semi Final
Richmond 23.11.149 d Nth Melbourne 6.12.48
Second Semi Final
Hawthorn 12.10.82 d Western Bulldogs 11.12.78
Week 3.
Preliminary Final
Richmond 12.10.82 d Western Bulldogs 10.17.77
Week 4.
Grand Final
Richmond 17.12.114 d Hawthorn 10.10.70