MELBOURNE has reacted strongly to last round’s 148-point loss against Essendon, making five changes, including four omissions for Saturday’s clash against the West Coast Eagles at the MCG.
The Demons have included Rohan Bail, Michael Evans, Cam Pedersen, Neville Jetta and Luke Tapscott, and have lost Tom Gillies (groin) and omitted Jack Watts, Daniel Nicholson, Sam Blease and David Rodan. Melbourne’s emergencies are: Watts, Rodan and Jake Spencer.
Bail, Evans and Jetta will play their first match for the season, with Pedersen and Tapscott returning after they played in round one. Gillies, Watts, Nicholson, Blease and Rodan will miss their first match for the season after they featured in Melbourne’s opening two matches.
Football manager Josh Mahoney said Melbourne’s inclusions were all entering the side after strong performances.
“All five guys included in the team this week performed extremely well for Casey Scorpions last weekend and they’re coming into the team in very good form,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“It’s great news for Rohan Bail, who has had an extended lay off. He was able to play for Casey on the weekend and perform. The significant work he’s been able to do with his fitness over that time has enabled him to be selected this week.
“Michael [Evans] has had a number of injury concerns during his period at the club. It’s great credit to the medical and conditioning department, they, along with Michael have essentially rebuilt his body over pre-season, where he’s had to work extremely hard on injury prevention techniques.
“He’s now been able to play a block of games and his form and his running ability has earned him selection this week.”
Mahoney said omissions had to occur based on Melbourne’s poor start to the season.
“Whenever you perform the way that we have over the last two weeks, there’s always going to be changes, and five people have been left out of the side this week, based on their performances over that period,” he said.
“Jack [Watts] has improved dramatically off the field, with the work he does in the gym and his running, and the work that he did over the pre-season.
“His form during the NAB Cup series was very good, but unfortunately over the last two weeks, he hasn’t performed at that level.”
Bail has played just one match this year – of any sorts – when he had 20 touches and kicked two goals in his comeback match for Casey last round. He missed the pre-season period after battling concussion issues.
Evans will play his first match since round 12, 2011 after back and hip injuries have sidelined him for the final seven rounds of that season and all but grounded him last year, except from rounds 16 to 20 last year, when he played just four VFL matches and was an emergency for Melbourne in round 20.
In Casey’s win over Frankston last Sunday, Tapscott booted six goals, Pedersen impressed down back and Jetta’s versatility in defence and up forward was also good.
Round three team
B: NevilleJetta, James Frawley, Dean Terlich
HB: JackTrengove, Tom McDonald, Colin Garland
C: MichaelEvans, Jack Grimes, Jack Viney
HF: MattJones, Mitch Clark, Jeremy Howe
F: AaronDavey, James Sellar, Shannon Byrnes
FOLL: MarkJamar, Colin Sylvia, Nathan Jones
I/C: JimmyToumpas, Cam Pedersen, Luke Tapscott, Rohan Bail
EMG: JackWatts, David Rodan, Jake Spencer
IN: RohanBail, Luke Tapscott, Neville Jetta, Cam Pedersen, Michael Evans
OUT: TomGillies (groin), David Rodan, Sam Blease, Jack Watts, Daniel Nicholson
