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 …

Bernie Vince

His 2016 season tailed off a little bit and I know he came back hellbent on building his footy right back up to what it was the year before – and we know he will. He’s still got some life left in him yet. Bernie’s been full energy and engagement at training and he’s doing everything 100 miles an hour, which is a great credit to him.

Jack Viney

Jack had a slow start to the pre-season, due to injury. But the first day he got back, you could hear the whack in the contest. The contest area had a real intensity about it when Jack was back in there, so he’s been managed a bit. He’s a high talent and has a high love of the club. The way he spoke about the club – and the people in it – after winning last year’s best and fairest sums up Jack the person. Through the family connection, there is no player more invested and committed to driving Melbourne up the ladder than Jack.

Josh Wagner

Wags has progressed and developed his body again. He had some little niggling injuries just before Christmas, but worked really diligently over the post-season break and came back stronger and more physical. We believe he showed what he’d become in the first half of last season, but then he hit some fatigue in the second half of 2016. He had some niggling injuries in the latter part of last season, but he’s a good young AFL player.