MELBOURNE has added to its AFL playing list, welcoming three new draftees and a Category B rookie. 

The Demons selected Harvey Langford and Xavier Lindsay with their first-round selections at Wednesday night’s 2024 Telstra AFL Draft – picks No.6 and 11 respectively – followed by Aidan Johnson (pick No.68) on Thursday night. 

Melbourne then added Ricky Mentha Jnr as a rookie on Friday afternoon, capping off a successful week of draft activity. 

Harvey Langford | Pick No.6
Position: Midfield-forward
Height: 191cm
The rundown: Langford arrives at the Dees from the Dandenong Stingrays and is set to bring plenty of talent. The explosive mid-forward, who co-captained his side to a preliminary final earlier this year, is highly regarded for his strength, running ability and leadership. 

Standing at 191cm, Langford averaged 25 disposals, six marks and six clearances for Vic Country at the 2024 AFL U18 Championships.  

Jase Taylor | National Recruiting Manager: “It's a good result bringing in Harvey with our first selection. He's a big, stronger mid, who can go forward and really mark the ball well – that’s a real asset of his,” Taylor said.

“He’s ultra consistent, he's got a high IQ, and he's going to add some real value not only in the midfield, but forward of the ball as well.”

Xavier Lindsay | Pick No.11
Position: Midfielder
Height: 183cm
The rundown: Lindsay, a classy speedster, joins the red and blue from Gippsland Power.  

The poised 183cm midfielder is ultra versatile, with neat ball-use and a penetrating kick. He was rewarded for a consistent year, taking out the Morrish Medal as the best and fairest player of the Coates Talent League. 

Lindsay averaged 22.7 disposals, five tackles and 4.7 clearances at the National Championships, playing for Vic Country alongside Langford. 

Jase Taylor | National Recruiting Manager: “Xavier brings some speed, really good spatial awareness, good footy IQ and he’s an elite kick,” Taylor said. 

“He's got the variety in his game, he can play halfback really well, he can play wing really well, and he played a lot of games inside really well.

“So, once he fills out and gets a bit stronger, we can see him doing that at an AFL level down the track.”

Aidan Johnson | Pick No.68
Position: Forward
Height: 193cm
The rundown: Johnson, a mature-age forward who has spent the past three and a half seasons with Werribee VFL, realised his AFL dream on Thursday night. 

A 193cm athletic brute who imposes himself on the contest, Johnson kicked 11 goals in a five-match mid-season spell for the premiership-winning side, including three bags of three. 

The unrelenting competitor played 20 matches this past season and was among the top seven players in his team's best and fairest count. 

Jase Taylor | National Recruiting Manager: “We're really rapt to be able to give Aidan an opportunity,” Taylor said.

“We're really pleased with the way he's progressed this year, and we feel like he's got AFL talent.

“He plays with a real aggressive edge, he's got speed, he can get back on the ball at ground level and he's just going to make things happen.”

Ricky Mentha Jnr | Category B Rookie
Position: Forward
Height: 178cm
The rundown: Rounding out the new additions, Mentha joins Melbourne as a Category B Rookie, having trained with the club earlier this year. 

The agile small forward is the first player from the Demons’ Academy to be signed from Alice Springs, and the first from the region to join an AFL list in over a decade.  

Mentha made the move to Melbourne this year to further his draft hopes, playing football for Gippsland Power, National Academy, Northern Territory and the Allies in 2024. 

Jase Taylor | National Recruiting Manager: "It's great story for the football club and the Next Generation Academy program and a real credit to Ricky, the way he's applied himself," Taylor said. 

"We saw the growth in him pre-season last year when he spent some time in at the club, and that gives us a bit of a look into the future with what can come from Ricky in a full time environment. 

"He's a smooth mover, he's played a fair bit of his footy behind the ball for Gippsland [Power] and provided a lot of drive as a rebound defender.

"We're really thrilled to give it him opportunity and look forward to seeing him progress in our program."