MELBOURNE has made just one change for Monday’s clash against Collingwood at the MCG.

The Demons have recalled the silky-skilled Christian Salem and left out rebounder Josh Wagner.

Half-back Jake Melksham, defender Oscar McDonald, utility Tom Bugg and tough-nut James Harmes have been named on the bench.

Wagner, small forward Jay Kennedy-Harris and ruckman Jake Spencer have been named emergencies.

Salem missed Melbourne’s victory over the Gold Coast Suns in Alice Springs, after he was suspended for one-match for striking North Melbourne’s Shaun Higgins in round nine.

He has otherwise played every match for Melbourne this year.

Wagner’s start to the season was interrupted by a fractured fibula and then a broken thumb.

But after one match with Casey, he returned to play the past four matches for Melbourne.

Kennedy-Harris came close to selection, after accumulating a whopping 47 disposals, playing for Casey in its win over Coburg at Piranha Park last Sunday.

After being sidelined for five weeks earlier in the year, Kennedy-Harris played three matches from rounds five to seven.

Spencer, who has missed the past six weeks with a shoulder injury, will make his comeback for Casey against Collingwood at Casey Fields on Saturday.

Meanwhile, exciting forward Jeff Garlett, who is having an outstanding 2017 season, will play his 50th game for the club. It will also be his 157th AFL match, after playing 107 with Carlton from 2009-14.

Melbourne team: round 12

B: Jayden Hunt, Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta

HB: Michael Hibberd, Sam Frost, Jordan Lewis

C: Christian Salem, Clayton Oliver, Nathan Jones

HF: Dom Tyson, Jack Watts, Mitch Hannan

F: Alex Neal-Bullen, Christian Petracca, Jeff Garlett

Foll: Cam Pedersen, Bernie Vince, Jack Viney

I/C: Jake Melksham, Oscar McDonald, Tomas Bugg, James Harmes
Emg: Jay Kennedy-Harris, Jake Spencer, Josh Wagner

In: Salem

Out: Wagner

Queen’s Birthday background

VFL/AFL matches have regularly been played on Queen’s Birthday. But in 2001, Melbourne and Collingwood was locked in as an annual Queen’s Birthday fixture. In 2015, an important element was added to the game via the ‘Big Freeze at the G’ campaign. The driving force behind it was ex-Essendon captain and former Melbourne coach Neale Daniher, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). He set about raising funds to help find a cure and rid the disease. As part of the campaign, a host of well-known Australian personalities have gone down a slide and into a pool of ice before the game – adding to the day’s events. Last year, this pre-game event drew impressive TV ratings of around one million viewers. Daniher’s fundraising efforts have so far raised more than $8 million from Big Freeze activities alone and close to $15 million in total, which has enabled the foundation to support some important research projects. That number is set to grow again this year.

Melbourne is proud to play host to Daniher and the Big Freeze once again this year. A range of Australian Olympic and other sporting identities will be sliding into the ice on Monday. Melbourne’s co-principal partner AHG – also the match day partner for this game – has been incredibly generous supporters of the concept (raising $150k over the journey) and donating another car this year for a raffle to support Daniher’s campaign. Melbourne will again hold the ‘AHG Walk to the G’ from Fed Square before the game. The club is expecting another great turnout to walk with Daniher to the game. Melbourne will give out 3000 flags at the walk.  

The beanies are again a key feature of the campaign this year and have already sold out online. 10,000 beanies have been saved and will be sold at Fed Square and outside the ground, which is the only place people can get them now. There will also be plenty of roaming donation collectors around the ground.

Melbourne is hopeful of a bumper crowd. The record since 2001 is 78,773 in 2006 and in 1958, Melbourne and Collingwood drew the largest home-and-away attendance – 99,256 – on Queen’s Birthday.

Key timings of day

  • ‘AHG Walk to the G’ from 12.30pm (leaving Fed Square at 1.35pm)
  • The sliding will take place from 2.20pm to 3pm and the club encourages people to get to the ground early to see all the action from 2pm
  • Daniher will make an appearance at Melbourne’s chairman’s function pre-game
  • The game starts at 3.20pm
  • At three-quarter time the winner of the AHG car raffle will be announced (all proceeds from this raffle got to ‘FightMND’)
  • At the conclusion of the game, the Neale Daniher Trophy will be awarded to the best player on the ground, voted by selected media personalities commentating the game.