MELBOURNE has made four changes for Monday’s night’s ANZAC Day Eve clash against Richmond at the MCG.
Goalkicker Jesse Hogan has been rushed straight back into the team, after missing the past two matches through suspension.
Defender Michael Hibberd will make his debut for Melbourne, after an Achilles injury forced him to miss five weeks during the JLT Community Series and early stages of the home and away season.
Speedster Jay Kennedy-Harris will play his first AFL match since round 23, 2015, when Melbourne defeated GWS Giants at Etihad Stadium. Hamstring injuries ruined his season last year, and a broken arm forced him on the sidelines during the pre-season matches and first couple of rounds.
And key forward Tim Smith is back in, after he made his AFL debut against Geelong at Etihad Stadium in round three, before being omitted last round.
Coach Simon Goodwin said his team had regained four strong inclusions.
“It’s good to have Jesse Hogan back in our forward line. He’s an important player for us and to get him back will really straighten us up a little bit,” he told Melbourne TV.
“We’ve got Michael Hibberd playing his first game for the footy club. It’s been a long time for Hibbo – he’s been out for a while and it’s his first game in 18 months, so I know he’ll be pretty excited, but also a little bit nervous.
“We’ve got Jay Kennedy-Harris coming back into the team from a broken arm in the pre-season, where he performed really strongly in that period.
“We’ve also got Tim Smith back into the team. I thought his performance last week for Casey was outstanding. We think he’s a real competitor and we think he’s going to bring some forward 50 pressure for us.”
Long-kicking left-footer Dean Kent, young tall Sam Weideman, first-year Demon Mitch Hannan and utility Tom Bugg have been left out of the side.
On the back of two losses, Goodwin said changes needed to be made.
“They’ve all been omitted from the team, and really it’s about trying to get our best 22 on the park this week – and where we think we can win the game. With that comes some selection changes, as the last two weeks haven’t been at the level that we want to play at,” he said.
Hannan, Bugg and defender Oscar McDonald are the emergencies.
Goodwin said he was disappointed with his side’s third quarter against Fremantle last weekend, but added that there were several positives from the rest of the match.
“We didn’t think that the majority of the game reflected us, and the brand that we want to play, and there is no doubt the third quarter didn’t reflect that,” he said.
“We were really proud of our response in the last quarter and the way we finished the game, but unfortunately we couldn’t get it done, so the mood has been about trying to get back to playing the style of play and the brand of footy we’re trying to achieve long term.”
Goodwin said it was a privilege for his team to play on ANZAC Day Eve.
“It’s a real honour to represent the club in this game. It’s a real marquee game between the two clubs and I know we’re expecting around 75,000 people at the ground, so it’s going to be a great experience for our players to play in – one they’re really looking forward to playing well in,” he said.
“We’re looking forward to entertaining all of the supporters who get along and support us at the ‘G this Monday night.”
Melbourne team: round five
B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Jake Melksham
HB: Jayden Hunt, Sam Frost, Bernie Vince
C: Billy Stretch, Nathan Jones, Christian Salem
HF: Christian Petracca, Jesse Hogan, Alex Neal-Bullen
F: James Harmes, Jack Watts, Jeff Garlett
Foll: Jake Spencer, Jack Viney, Clayton Oliver
I/C: Dom Tyson, Michael Hibberd, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Tim Smith
Emg: Hannan, Oscar McDonald, Bugg
In: Hogan, Hibberd, Kennedy-Harris, T.Smith
Out: Dean Kent, Sam Weideman, Mitch Hannan, Tom Bugg
