MELBOURNE has made just one change for Saturday night’s ‘home’ clash against the Brisbane Lions at TIO Stadium.
First-year Demon Jack Viney has been recalled for defender Daniel Nicholson.
Midfielder Jordie McKenzie, versatile tall Cameron Pedersen and ruckman Jake Spencer have been named emergencies.
“Jack Viney comes into the team this week, after he played the majority of the game time in the VFL last week,” acting general manager of football operations Josh Mahoney told melbournefc.com.au.
“He’s done a lot of running and conditioning work in his time off and he’s an inclusion into our midfield.”
Mahoney said McKenzie, Pedersen and Spencer had travelled to Darwin.
“At this stage, we’ll have one carry over player for this game and the intention is to fly two players back to play for Casey on Sunday,” he said.
Viney will play his seventh match for Melbourne after missing eight weeks with an injured toe. He returned last Sunday for Casey against Werribee at Avalon Airport Oval.
Nicholson has played 10 matches this season, including all four under new coach Neil Craig, but he has been left out of the 25-man squad this round.
McKenzie played his first match in the VFL last round, after spending four weeks on the sidelines, due to an elbow injury. The leader has only played eight matches this year, after a calf injury halted him early in the season.
Pedersen, who has played seven matches in his first year at the club, will be an emergency for the fourth consecutive match.
Spencer missed the past three rounds due to suspension, having impressed in his third match for the season against St Kilda in round 13. He will be an emergency for the ninth time this year.
Round 17 Melbourne team
B: Lynden Dunn, Colin Garland, Dean Terlich
HB: Tom McDonald, James Frawley, Mitch Clisby
C: Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Trengove, Jack Grimes
HF: Colin Sylvia, Jack Watts, Shannon Byrnes
F: Aaron Davey, Chris Dawes, Jeremy Howe
FOLL: Max Gawn, Jack Viney, Nathan Jones
I/C: Matt Jones, Dean Kent, Sam Blease, Jack Fitzpatrick
EMG: Jordie McKenzie, Cameron Pedersen, Jake Spencer
IN: Jack Viney
OUT: Daniel Nicholson
