MELBOURNE has added five players to its extended squad for Sunday’s clash against Geelong Cats at Simonds Stadium, including key forward Chris Dawes, who has been named in the starting 18.
The Demons have also included utility Rohan Bail, defender Dean Terlich, ruckman Jake Spencer and midfielder Matt Jones.
They have been named on the seven-man bench, along with first-year Demon Alex Neal-Bullen, ball-winner Viv Michie and tough-nut Aidan Riley.
As expected, the Demons have lost former co-captain Jack Grimes, who will miss several matches with a thumb injury, and key forward Cam Pedersen, who will be sidelined for the rest of the season with a nasty wrist injury.
Manager of football operations Josh Mahoney said the absence of Pedersen and Grimes were losses to the side.
“Unfortunately, this week we’ve had two forced changes through injury,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“Cam Pedersen broke his wrist during the game last Sunday and was subbed out, and Jack Grimes, who broke his thumb during the same match, played out the game, before having surgery on it this week.
“Chris Dawes returns after playing for Casey last week and is effectively Pedersen’s replacement. It’s his first game back, after missing three weeks with a calf injury.
“Rohan Bail, Dean Terlich, Jake Spencer and Matt Jones have continued to play well for Casey Scorpions and are in the mix for the final side, which will be finalised after Friday’s training session.”
Dawes has had a frustrating season, having missed the opening round through a one-week suspension carried over from last season.
He returned in round two and played the next three matches, before he missed Melbourne’s loss to Fremantle in round five with a calf injury.
Dawes returned for round six against the Sydney Swans and played against Hawthorn the following week, before he was sidelined for the next three matches with a calf injury.
He resumed for the Scorpions in the VFL last Saturday, playing in the side’s win over Coburg at Casey Fields.
Spencer and M.Jones have played four matches each this year; Bail has made three appearances and Terlich has yet to play an AFL match in 2015.
Melbourne is aiming for its first win against Geelong since round six, 2006 and its first win at the Cattery since round 20, 2005.
Melbourne team: round 12
B: Daniel Cross, Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta
HB: Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba
C: Jimmy Toumpas, Dom Tyson, Jack Viney
HF: Jack Watts, Chris Dawes, Billy Stretch
F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Angus Brayshaw
FOLL: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Bernie Vince
I/C (from): Alex Neal-Bullen, Viv Michie, Aidan Riley, Jake Spencer, Rohan Bail, Matt Jones, Dean Terlich
IN: Rohan Bail, Chris Dawes, Dean Terlich, Jake Spencer, Matt Jones
OUT: Jack Grimes (thumb), Cam Pedersen (wrist)
