RUCKMAN Max Gawn hasn’t been included for Melbourne’s round 13 clash against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.
Gawn, who has been sidelined since round four with a hamstring injury, was a chance to return and play his fourth match of the season.
But the 2016 All-Australian will miss at least another round, as he makes his comeback, Melbourne aims for its seventh win of the season and third in a row.
Instead, the red and blue has added three players to its squad: ruckman Jake Spencer, ball-winner Ben Kennedy and tall forward Sam Weideman.
The trio has been named on the extended bench, along with playmaker Christian Salem, utility Jake Melksham, midfielder/forward Alex Neal-Bullen and hard-nut James Harmes.
No players have been left out of the side at this stage, with the final 22 to be determined on Friday evening.
If Spencer plays, it will be his third match of the season, after he missed six weeks with a shoulder injury.
He returned to play his first match since round five last weekend, when he played for Casey in its win over Collingwood at Casey Fields last Saturday.
Kennedy is in contention to play his first match for the season after some fine form in the VFL, including 29 disposals against the Magpies.
He was an emergency in round two, but otherwise hasn’t been in the 25 until this round.
Weideman is in line to play his seventh match of the season and his first since round nine.
The almost 20-year-old had 21 disposals, eight marks and kicked 2.3 for Casey last weekend in an impressive display.
Melbourne team: round 13
B: O.McDonald, Tom McDonald, Neville Jetta
HB: Michael Hibberd, Sam Frost, Bernie Vince
C: Jayden Hunt, Jordan Lewis, Nathan Jones
HF: Clayton Oliver, Jack Watts, Mitch Hannan
F: Tom Bugg, Christian Petracca, Jeff Garlett
Foll: Cam Pedersen, Dom Tyson, Jack Viney
I/C (from): Christian Salem, Jake Melksham, Sam Weideman, Alex Neal-Bullen, Jake Spencer, Ben Kennedy, James Harmes
In: Spencer, Kennedy, Weideman
Out: –
