WITH the New Year here, melbournefc.com.au takes a look at each player’s key stats entering 2016, as coach Paul Roos provides a pre-season update on every squad member. Be sure to check back each day on melbournefc.com.au, as we present all 45 players in the first half of January …

JAKE MELKSHAM – No.18

Date of birth: 29/8/1991 (24 years old)
Height: 186cm, Weight: 82kg
AFL debut: 2010, MFC debut: yet to debut
AFL games: 114 (Essendon 114, Melbourne 0), AFL goals: 57 (Essendon 57, Melbourne 0)
Position: Half-back/midfielder
Recruited: Oak Park (Vic), PEGS (Vic), Calder Cannons (Vic)
Drafted: 2009 NAB AFL Draft (No.10); 2015 NAB AFL Draft traded by Essendon for No.30 (Mason Redman)
Honours: NAB AFL Rising Star nominee 2010

“We’re really excited to have Jake, a high quality player, come to the club. His training habits are elite and he’s a very, very good runner. He’s got an AFL body, after six AFL seasons, and his footy habits are very good. We couldn’t be happier with the way he’s going.” – Paul Roos

VIV MICHIE – No.22 (rookie – category A)

Date of birth: 23/2/1992 (23 years old)
Height: 185cm, Weight: 83kg
AFL debut: 2010, MFC debut: yet to debut
AFL games: 18 (Fremantle 1, Melbourne 17), AFL goals: 0 (Fremantle 0, Melbourne 0)
Position: Midfielder
Recruited: Fitzroy Juniors (Vic)/Oakleigh Chargers (Vic)/Fremantle
Drafted: 2010 NAB AFL Draft (No.44 – Fremantle); 2013 NAB AFL Draft traded by Fremantle for No.58 (Brady Grey); 2015/16 NAB AFL Rookie Draft (No.24)

“Viv probably played his best footy towards the end of last season. He gave himself a chance, but we needed numbers on the list for the draft, so it meant he dropped back to the rookie list. He’s training well and he needs to get fitter – he knows that – but he’s working hard at that area of the game. He has shown he can play AFL football, but it’s just a matter of him pushing hard now and doing everything he possibly can to get in the round one side.” – Paul Roos

ALEX NEAL-BULLEN – No.30

Date of birth: 9/1/1996 (20 years old)
Height: 182cm, Weight: 76kg
AFL debut: 2015
AFL games: 15
Position: Midfielder/forward
Recruited: Plympton (SA)/Glenelg (SA)
Drafted: 2014 NAB AFL Draft (No. 40)

“Alex is a second-year player who is readjusting back into training – it’s about getting consistency of training with him. He’s a very good athlete and is a good runner. He had a slight hiccup with his knee, but nothing major. We saw last year the talent he’s got and hopefully he really competes hard and gives himself another chance to play in round one.” – Paul Roos