How does Jake Lever's arrival change Melbourne's defence?
Lever's best attribute is his intercept marking and he does that well when he's allowed to jump unimpeded at the footy in a third-man up scenario. So whether the Demons can play Lever, Oscar McDonald and Sam Frost in the same side – which they are sure to trial in the JLT Series – will be interesting. The Demons also have Jayden Hunt, Neville Jetta, Michael Hibberd, Jordan Lewis and Bernie Vince to fit in across half-back. 

Can Jesse Hogan and Tom McDonald develop synergy in attack?
Hogan and McDonald have not had any real time to work out how their forward line partnership might work in pre-season, with the latter in rehab following ankle surgery, up until Christmas. Refining their leading patterns will be a point of emphasis, and how the pair co-exists will be front of mind for the Demons. Having Hogan back at full fitness after such a challenging year in 2017 will be a major fillip for Simon Goodwin's side.

Can the club's young stars deal with increased expectations?
Whichever way you slice it, Melbourne's young stars will have a major bearing on how the team performs in 2018. How players such as Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver, Angus Brayshaw and Christian Salem cope with those expectations will be something to monitor throughout the season. The JLT Series gives that quartet and others a chance to build form and confidence leading into the home and away season. - Ben Guthrie

How will young players such as Clayton Oliver manage expectations? Picture: AFL Photos