MELBOURNE has named five players in its 25-man squad for Sunday’s clash against Collingwood at the MCG, including first-gamer Jayden Hunt.
Livewire Jeff Garlett, key tall Cam Pedersen, utility Alex Neal-Bullen and midfielder Angus Brayshaw have also been included.
Garlett missed last round with an ankle injury, while Brayshaw and Pedersen were left out of the round three side and Neal-Bullen was an emergency against the Kangaroos.
The five players have been named on an extended bench, along with second-year player Billy Stretch and Josh Wagner, who played his first match last round.
As previously announced, Melbourne has lost 2015 best and fairest winner Bernie Vince for one week, after he was suspended for striking North Melbourne’s Jamie Macmillan during last Sunday’s five-point loss at Blundstone Arena.
Hard-nut Aaron vandenBerg is also out with an ankle injury.
Hunt, who was drafted at No.57 in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft, and has since missed a lot of football, mainly due to a back injury, said it was all worth it to get to this point.
“It means heaps,” he told Melbourne TV.
“It’s been pretty hard the past two years, missing heaps of games. It’s a credit to all of the fitness staff and the physios for getting me on the track, so I’m finally here.
“It’s been a long time in rehab, and it’s good to finally get through a pre-season and get some games strung together, so I’m very excited.”
Coach Paul Roos said his side was expecting a tough encounter against Collingwood and preparing for its best.
“From a coaching point-of-view, we all know that we’re all one disastrous game away from getting criticised and one good game away from getting praised, so I don’t think there are too many coaches that focus on that at all,” he said.
“You’re preparing the team and you’re getting your team ready to play. Their (Collingwood) best has been very, very good over the past couple of years, so we’ll prepare for their absolute best.”
It will be the first of two clashes against Collingwood this year, with Melbourne looking to make it two in a row against the Magpies, after defeating the Pies in round 18 last year.
The match starts at 3.20pm.
Round four: Melbourne team
B: Neville Jetta, Tom McDonald, Tomas Bugg
HB: Lynden Dunn, Heritier Lumumba, Christian Salem
C: James Harmes, Dom Tyson, Clayton Oliver
HF: Jack Watts, Sam Frost, Matt Jones
F: Dean Kent, Jesse Hogan, Ben Kennedy
Foll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney
I/C (from): Angus Brayshaw, Billy Stretch, Cameron Pedersen, Jayden Hunt, Alex Neal-Bullen, Jeff Garlett, Josh Wagner
In: Garlett, Pedersen, Neal-Bullen, Brayshaw, Hunt
Out: Bernie Vince (suspension), Aaron vandenBerg (ankle)
New: Hunt
