MELBOURNE player/coach performance manager Brendan McCartney provides an update on all 45 players in the lead-up to the 2017 season. Be sure to check back each day for most of January, as we present this year’s squad …

Michael Hibberd

Michael has fitted in very well. He had a sluggish start, through our choice. We reacquainted him to football in a safe way, with straight line running in a controlled environment and we didn’t put him straight back into the drills. When we did put him back in the drills pre-Christmas, he took to it like a duck to water. There are some similarities, with what he’s been taught here and what it was at Essendon, given the Simon Goodwin connection. A lot of what we’re talking about isn’t foreign to him. He’s been able to pick it up quite quickly.

Jesse Hogan

He’s been a standout – and credit to him. Jesse came back to training from the off-season in incredible shape and he’s dealing with every drill very well. Whatever drill he’s been in, he’s getting to the stage where he is pivotal in it, which is a sure sign that his overall game is growing. He’s a competitive young man and has a drive to take this club forward.

Liam Hulett

Huey had a long year in 2016 because of the VFL finals, which was good for him. Like a lot of tall players, he’s still developing his body and his conditioning base. He has some really good natural tendencies – his marking and kicking are high quality. As he deals with the game more, he’ll be able to run at the level required and turn into a pretty good player.