ANGUS Brayshaw will play his first match of the season, after he was recalled for Sunday’s clash against Hawthorn at the MCG.
Melbourne finalised its 22 on Friday, with Brayshaw the only inclusion after Dom Tyson (illness) was ruled out on Thursday night.
It will be the second match Tyson has missed this season, after he was an emergency in round one.
Brayshaw, Bayley Fritsch, Jeff Garlett and Josh Wagner have been named on the interchange.
The emergencies are Billy Stretch, Mitch Hannan, Sam Weideman and Jayden Hunt.
Hannan has played one game this season – the opening round against Geelong at the MCG – while Hunt has featured in the first two rounds.
Weideman, who kicked five goals for Casey last weekend, and Stretch have yet to play an AFL match in 2018.
Coach Simon Goodwin said selection remained a tough scenario, given most of the list was healthy and a host of players were in form.
“Selection is really tough. Our VFL team is in terrific form and Jade Rawlings has done a terrific job at VFL level,” he said.
“We’ve got a really healthy squad, so selection is becoming more and more tough for match committee.
“There is a forced change there, but it’s really tough and it’s a great position for the club to be in.”
Reflecting on last round’s hoodoo-breaking win over North Melbourne, Goodwin said it was an important victory for the club.
“A lot’s been spoken about the 17 losses in a row, but to finally get it done in front of our home supporters on the MCG was terrific. I thought the boys had a slow start in the first 10 minutes, but I thought we were outstanding for the rest of the day,” he said.
“We generated a lot of forward half footy, which is the way we want to play the game.
“To actually kick that score and to keep them to that score in the end was terrific form.”
Looking ahead to this round’s clash, Goodwin urged the Melbourne faithful to come out in force for what promises to be a fascinating encounter.
“It’s a replacement game for our members against the Hawks, so it’ll be great to get another big crowd – it’s not our home game, but one our fans and supporters can get along to,” he said.
“It’s an exciting challenge. The Hawthorn team’s in terrific form and their small forwards are back pressuring inside their forward 50, so we’re going to have to be at our best to come away with a victory.”
Melbourne will be aiming for its third win in a row, having defeated Brisbane Lions and North Melbourne in the past two weeks.
The red and blue sits fourth on the ladder and will take on Hawthorn, which sits eighth with two wins and one loss.
Round four
Sunday, April 15
Hawthorn v Melbourne, MCG
Away, 3:20pm (AEST)
Melbourne
B: Christian Petracca, Oscar McDonald, Neville Jetta
HB: Michael Hibberd, Jake Lever, Bernie Vince
C: James Harmes, Nathan Jones, Jordan Lewis
HF: Alex Neal-Bullen, Sam Frost, Tom Bugg
F: Jake Melksham, Jesse Hogan, Dean Kent
Foll: Max Gawn, Christian Salem, Clayton Oliver
I/C: Angus Brayshaw, Bayley Fritsch, Jeff Garlett, Josh Wagner
Emg: Billy Stretch, Mitch Hannan, Sam Weideman, Jayden Hunt
In: Brayshaw
Out: Dom Tyson
Hawthorn
B: Conor Glass, James Frawley, Blake Hardwick
HB: Taylor Duryea, Ben Stratton, James Sicily
C: Ricky Henderson, Jarman Impey, Isaac Smith
HF: Luke Breust, Jack Gunston, Tim O’Brien
F: Paul Puopolo, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli
Foll: Ben McEvoy, Tom Mitchell, Liam Shiels
I/C: Harry Morrison, Daniel Howe, Jaeger O’Meara, David Mirra,
Emg: Brendan Whitecross, Ryan Burton, James Cousins, Mitchell Lewis
In: Sicily, Glass, Cousins, Whitecross, Mirra, Lewis
Out: Kaiden Brand (omitted), Will Langford (omitted), Ryan Burton (omitted)
