MELBOURNE player/coach performance manager Brendan McCartney provides an update on all 45 players in the lead-up to the 2017 season. Be sure to check back each day for most of January, as we present this year’s squad …

Jordan Lewis

His training standards are elite. He understands the game and understands what’s required. Jordan can almost watch training like a coach and provide feedback. Not only has he been fantastic for the club, we’ve seen him really revel in being here and having a high level of enjoyment. That can’t be easy, when you’ve left a club that’s been a big part of your life for a long time. He’s clearly loving every minute of being here, which is a credit to Simon Goodwin, the rest of the coaches and his teammates and the whole club.

Heritier Lumumba

Note: Lumumba announced his retirement from the AFL pre-Christmas.

Corey Maynard

Corey is a boy with a basketball background. He is now a category B rookie. He’s got a lot of athleticism and athletic ability, and has a high work rate. We’re seeing gains in his football nous and football craft quite quickly. The key is to manage his body, so he gets used to football, which is obviously a different sport to basketball. We know that if we can keep him out there – training and playing games, that’s when he’ll learn the most. Educating him into what AFL footy is has been high on the list.

Oscar McDonald

Oscar has really emerged again. We all saw really good snippets of Oscar’s progression last year. He’s bigger and stronger again, and has the capacity to run and still carry it. Oscar’s on the verge of becoming a very good player.